Terrified
by Softrock-showtunesgirlscout22
Summary: AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018. Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry. Kelly/ Dylan.
1. Chapter 1

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018.**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry, I wrote a silly story back when the follow up was released because we never got to see Dylan back on the show, now I'm back. This is where they ended up and what their relationship is like now.**

**I own nothing except any mistake you might find, sorry this is not beta'd . **

*******I just realized Dylan's brother was named Jack so I changed the name of their second son to Evan, and yeah I know Andrea's daughter's name is Hannah but there's a special reason for the name, so that one is staying the same :) **

Kelly was just leaving school as her phone buzzed in her pocket, darn it, she had left it in silence again, she would chide her students over not being glued to their phones so she tried to lead up by example.

She had missed calls from practically everyone, specially Donna and David. Kelly sighed and called her friend back. "Donna, hey, I was in a meeting and forgot to turn my sound back on, everything okay?"

No, everything was not okay, the moment Kelly heard the words 'Dylan, crash and 'Sammy', her heart stopped. Luckily, she gathered herself quickly and got in the car, trying to tell herself that Donna had said they were both in the hospital, but how could she be okay with that? A million scenarios played in her head, that could mean a lot of things, including death.

"Excuse me, my family was brought in, uh, Mckay?" Kelly tried one of the nurses at the entrance.

"Kelly." Donna was there, thank god and she hugged her friend. "David took the kids down to the cafeteria, Sam is fine but Dylan.."

"What about Dylan?" His name caught up in her throat.

"They won't tell me much but they took him away and had to call David because he was listed as one of Dylan's emergency contacts too."

Kelly tried to calm herself down but the adrenaline was beginning to wear off and she was afraid she'd break down.

"Mrs. Mckay?" A doctor walked over to them.

"Ah, yes?" Kelly said, having a horrible flashback to when her grandfather was dying and her stomach took a flip. "Both are stable and Sam's alert."

"And Dylan?" Donna asked before Kelly could.

"He took it worst, we believe he tried to shield Sam from the blow, he's still unconscious."_ Of course, that sounded like Dylan, Of course he would have done everything possible to protect Sammy yet, he was u__nconscious not dead, Kelly repeated to herself._

"Can I see them?"

"It would be best if it's just your son for now, your husband can't have visitors at the moment, we're about to take him up to surgery."

"Surgery?"

"Yes, there's some internal bleeding and we need to get in and see just how extensive it is." The doctor, who Kelly was sure had introduced himself, said. "We've already gone ahead, your brother signed in your husband's behalf."

"Yes, that's, that's fine." Kelly said trying to find her words as she grasped the reality of it all.

"Come this way, Sandy will take you to your son." Kelly and Donna followed a nurse to a row of doors. Sam was sitting on a bed, her 14 year old son looked somehow so small, so defenseless, he was usually her rock but right now, Kelly knew she needed to be his.

"Sammy…" His eyes had looked up.

"Mom?"

"Baby, I'm here, okay? I'm here." Kelly rushed to his side and hugged him as close as she could because she could see his head and hand were bandaged.

"Mom, where's Dad? Is he okay?…"

"They took him up to surgery Sammy, the doctors are going to do all they can to help him." Donna said before Kelly could again, she couldn't take her eyes from Sam's worried expression, it was so much like Dylan's, it terrified her.

"Yes, uh, he got badly hurt buddy and they had to, he's going to need an operation so they can know what's wrong." She said taking his hand.

"Mom, I don't… I don't remember what happened, it just, happened so fast…"

"Don't worry about that right now you hear me?" Kelly said as she hugged her son again, Donna had also taken a step ahead. "Uh, would you stay with him, I'm going to go find, uh, where are the kids?"

"David's got them, he's coming down right now."

Kids as in plural. Kelly couldn't imagine having to deal with all of them being in the car, Sam and Dylan being there was enough to make her physically feel ill.

"We were supposed to pick up Hannah but I was late and…" Sam tried to explain. "It's my fault we crashed, isn't it?"

"You listen to me. None of this was your fault, you hear me?" Kelly said, in all her mighty mom voice. "None of it Sammy."

Kelly had asked Donna to stay with her son as she went in search of David and the kids, her heart skipped another beat when she saw them heading her way.

"Mom!" Hannah, her ever tomboy and a daddy's girl hurried her way. She was 8 going on 30 as Dylan liked to say.

"Mommy!" Evan was her lucky number 3, her rambunctious 5 year old. Kelly had to compose herself to answer the kid's questions, specially Hannah's, who had pointed out uncle David knew nothing and was of no help.

"I'm sorry." David said in a whisper. Kelly smiled, assuring him it was okay as she took her children's hands in hers and moved to an empty aisle with a few chairs.

"Where are Daddy and Sammy, are they okay?"

"Sammy is right there in that room and uncle David is going to take you over with him in a minute." Kelly could read her daughter's face perfectly, she wasn't answering the right questions either. "But, uh, the doctors had to take Daddy away to make him better." Evan was still too young to ask too many questions, it wasn't like he would understand entirely the gravity of the situation and she wasn't ready to explain it further as she didn't understand it either herself but Hannah understood something to be wrong and she didn't want to break her daughter's heart.

_How could this have happened? _

Just that morning, everything was seemingly running fine, chaotic but just as it had for the last 10 years of her life, after all, she never imagined when she had gone knocking on Dylan's door with her son in tow, that she would have ended married to him, finally and with two more kids, the whole white picket fence fantasy.

_With Dylan of all people_.

"Mrs. Mckay?" the familiar voice of the doctor startled her as she tried to comfort her children. "If you please would come with me, there's some paperwork that needs to be filled and I need to get back upstairs."

"Of course." Kelly stood up from the chair she was sitting at.

"David, please, could you take them home?"

"No, I want to stay with you!" Kelly was expecting this, but she was also trying her best not to lose it and David could see it as he knelt down to his niece's level.

"Han, I promise aunt Donna is going to stay with her alright? You know what you can do to help? You think you can stay with Evan so he's not alone?" David suggested. Hannah looked over at Kelly and then at him.

"Baby listen, I promise you, I'll make sure Sammy and Dad are being taken care of, okay? But right now, I need you to be brave for me and I really, really need your help taking care of your brother." Kelly was at the little girl's level as well.

She bit her lip, just as Kelly herself would, deep in thought. "Are you helping my Dad and my brother?" Hannah asked the doctor, the man smiled and assured her he was, Hannah then turned back to her Mom and nodded.

"Come here, give me a hug." Kelly said, taking Evan in her arms and handing over him over to David. "I love you both so much."

"Call me if you need anything." Her brother said with a smile and took the kids away to find Donna.

"How's he?" Was all Kelly was able to say, the doctor gave her a soft nod and offered her a seat. "No, I'm fine standing, just please tell me he's alive."

Kelly had already done the single mother thing once and she wasn't ready to do it times three, specially if it meant not being able to fight with Dylan about it.

"He's alive, but he might need a liver transplant."

* * *

**Okay, so this is just the set up chapter! I'm not sure how long this will be or even if anyone would be interested in reading but here's my tribute to Luke and Dylan and my fav relationship, Dylan and Kelly.**

_**"Now I'm just terrified." Dylan Mckay 90210. **_

_**Rest in Peace Luke Perry. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018.**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry.**

*******I just realized Dylan's brother was named Jack so I changed the name of their second son to Evan, and yeah I know Andrea's daughter's name is Hannah but there's a special reason for the name, so that one is staying the same :) **

**Here's the next chapter. **

Kelly Taylor had been in love with Dylan Mckay since kindergarten and their eventual relationship growing up had been tumultuous to say the least, breaking up and making up, getting tangled into being with each other while they were with other people, there was no denying that Dylan was her soulmate.

That had been reaffirmed to her when she ended up pregnant with Sammy, she and Dylan had been taking a shot at their relationship again, but it turned out to be just a few years of finally being the family they both had craved so much growing up, but just as their relationship was passionate so were their fights and disagreements and Kelly took the high road for her and Sammy once more and returned to LA while Dylan stayed away, giving her time to decide what she wanted to do.

Kelly had done some thinking, and decided she didn't want to cost Sam his father, she knew that all too well, so she had gone back to Dylan and just like back then, given him an ultimatum, not just for herself but for their son.

Now it was ten years later and Kelly played with the wedding ring on her finger as she waited for Dylan to come out of the anestesia he'd been put under for surgery, Kelly was relieved he was alive but far from danger.

A liver transplant wasn't an easy procedure, the doctor had explained Dylan's liver had been severed in the accident and it was imperative he'd received a new one.

He'd already been put on the list and Kelly prayed they would find one soon so she could wake up from this nightmare.

* * *

_"Dylan, where are we really going? I can't keep putting Sammy through this, the idea of having you around and then you disappearing, it's not good for him."_

_"I'm tired of running Kelly, I want it all, the whole picket fence fantasy, with you. It's you who I chose back then wasn't it? I'm still choosing you." They sat there in his new found home in the country, Sammy was beyond excited about the impromptu vacation at his daddy's new farm home but Kelly knew they couldn't stay there forever without some kind of plan, Sam needed stability and honestly, so did she._

_"Okay, then prove it and just like back then, let's commit, the whole thing Dylan, I can't keep playing this game with you any longer, we're not kids anymore, we have Sam now and it's him we should be thinking about, not us."_

_"It's Sammy I'm doing this for, and for you._"

_She had been back in LA two weeks later and he'd shown up at her door a few days after that, bags and all, ready to be a grownup and commit to her. It wasn't going to be easy, they had done this dance way too many times before for either of them to believe it, but Kelly was not one to lose hope, specially when it came to Dylan, she loved him too much for her to be the one person not to believe in him. _

* * *

Now he was more than a grown up, he was a father and a husband and a good man. The police had finally come knocking her way as she waited on yet another prognosis about Dylan.

"So it wasn't his fault?" Kelly spoke to the man in front of her, of course it hadn't been his fault, Dylan was a lot of things but not one to put his child's life in danger by being reckless.

"No, the, uh, the other driver ran a light and hit them straight up." Detective Linus said.

"Is the other person alright?"

"She was taken to a hospital near by, she's stable for now but we can't really give out any more details as of the moment."

"Okay, I don't need them, I just need to know if there will be anything done about it because as of now my husband is fighting for his life."

"We understand how you might be feeling Mrs. McKay and we sympathize but like we said, we can't give out any details, unless the other person wants to contact you directly once and when she's declared capable."

"So she can but I can't? How is that logical? She was the one to hit them!"

"Kel." Kelly had forgotten her brother was there beside her. "Det. Linus, is there really nothing we can do to reach out to this person?"

"Do you wish to take legal actions?"

"We might yes." Kelly said quickly. Linus sighed and nodded.

"Alright, an investigation is already on the way as to the accident, we'll keep you posted and we'll pray for your husband and your son's recovery."

Kelly sighed, this couldn't be happening, Dylan was yet to wake up as they'd put him in an induced coma to allow his body to heal and wait on the possibility of a transplant. "Hey." A voice said as there was a knock on the door, Steve and Janet had come to relieve David so he could go back to work and home to Donna and the kids.

"How are they doing?" Janet asked.

"Dylan is the same and Sammy, uh, he's like in this zombie state, how could this have happened to my sweet boy?"

"He's just worried about Dylan, Kelly, he'll be fine." Steve said, sitting beside her in the room, Sam was sleeping soundly on the bed.

"He's getting discharged tomorrow." Kelly said to her friends. "What am I going to do guys? How am I meant to do this without Dylan?"

"Sweetie listen, you have a bunch of people that love you guys, we're not going to leave you alone, we'll help all of you through this."

"Yeah of course." Steve echoed.

"The kids can stay with me and Donna as long as you need Kelly." David assured her.

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "David, please go home, you've been here all day."

"Right, I'm going but you call if you need anything and keep me posted?"

"Sure, thank you so much." Kelly said. "Oh and David? Please hug my kids?"

"Of course." He smiled and kissed her cheek as he said his goodbyes to Steve and Janet.

Kelly watched David walk away and tried to gather her thoughts once more. She couldn't believe it had been less than 24 hours after the accident and her life had potentially changed completely.

And she knew it could get worse.

"Could you guys stay with Sammy?" Kelly asked her friends tiredly. "I'm just going to go check on Dylan."

"Do you need me to come along?" Steve asked her sweetly.

"No, I think I'll be fine." She replied, thanking him and glancing back at her son before closing the door behind her and moving her way to the elevator.

She tried telling herself this was still just a nightmare and she'd wake up from it soon and Dylan would call her silly for being terrified, he wasn't going anywhere, not this time, if the last ten years of their lives had meant anything it was that Dylan was there to stay.

Now Kelly wasn't so sure, she tried to breathe as she felt sick entering the ICU floor. "Mrs. Mckay?" Sandy, the nurse in charge of Dylan spotted her instantly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little lightheaded, I'm sorry." Kelly said as Sandy helped her to a chair.

"Oh don't be sorry, here, I'll bring you some water." She quickly moved to the dispenser and back with Kelly, the blonde took small sips as she thanked the younger woman. "It can be a lot, can't it?"

"I don't know how you do it with such grace, I don't think I'd be able to keep myself from crying all day honestly." Kelly said with a weary glance Dylan's way.

"Well, who says it doesn't get to you at some point, but I've been doing it a while so I tell myself that's the reason I'm doing it mostly, to help people. What do you do Mrs. Mckay if you don't mind me asking?"

"School guidance counselor."

"Oh, that must be so interesting and so important, having all those kids come to you asking for advice."

"Well, actually, I think the reason I do it is because I wish someone had helped me as a kid, I was pretty lost in high school."

"You just took a while finding your way, that's alright." Sandy said kindly to her. "Now let's see here, you still seem a little pale so I'm going to take your blood pressure and get you a snack. When was the last time you ate?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, we can't have you feeling like this specially if you intend to go back and forth between your son and husband." The nurse said.

"Thank you, I just.. I've known Dylan practically my entire life and loved him just as long, watching him just laying there, I think I could go crazy, he's always made me feel safe and right now I'm not sure how to deal with all of this." Sandy offered her a kind smile as she took Kelly's blood pressure and handed her a chocolate bar.

"Sounds like quite the story."

"It should, he wrote a book about it." Kelly admitted. Sandy instantly looked back at Dylan as she moved the chair for the other woman to sit on beside the bed. "You should read it, it's good."

The nurse smiled. "Maybe I will. I'm around if you need anything Mrs. Mckay."

"Thank you." Kelly said with a sigh as she took Dylan's hand."And please call me Kelly."

* * *

_She had a parent- teacher thing with a student that had ended up pregnant her junior year and she wouldn't be able to take Sammy to swimming practice so Dylan had offered, he was a pretty hands on Dad as his job mostly consisted on bossing people around. She had woken up unusually early that day and watched Dylan sleep for a while, his ever messy hair and soft features made her smile. Summer was just catching the fall and she had been back in school for less than a month, Sammy was starting his Freshman year in High School and suddenly she felt as if no time had passed and she was back at being 17 again and waking up beside her boyfriend, only reality would have to suddenly kick in because she had 3 children that would soon take up her undivided attention._

_"I can hear your mind going in my sleep." Dylan's voice was quiet and groggy as he looked at her, the pillow still covering half his face._

_"Sorry, I was just…"_

_"Taking a minute?"_

_"Yeah, before we have to go back out there and you know? Get a start on life?"_

_"Deep Kel. Are you sure you are okay?"_

_"Yes, I'm just, having a moment I guess." She admitted, cuddling back in bed with him as he leaned to kiss her sweetly._

_The moment didn't last long though as the kids soon started making noise and it was her cue to get up and get the little ones ready for school._

_"So remember Dad's going to pick you up and drive you Sammy?"_

_"Yeah, I know."_

_"And then you have to pick up Hannah from school, she has choir practice."_

_"Duly noted." Dylan echoed with a smile. "Donna's still getting Evan?"_

_"Yeah, she owes me from last time." Kelly said finishing packing the kid's lunches and tying Evan's sneakers._

_"Okay guys, let's go. Little ones with Dad, Sammy with me…" She then turned to face Dylan who smirked. "What?"_

_"We've become those boring people in movies, haven't we?" Kelly sighed. "Tell you what? Date night? Friday? I'm sure we can find someone who can babysit." He said._

_"I could." Sammy offered, pulling his parents out from their somewhat private conversation. "I can watch them."_

_"No, you can't. We've talked about this Sammy." Kelly said. "You are still too young, next year we'll talk about it okay?"_

_Sam rolled his eyes and grabbed his bag. "Fine, I'll be in the car." _

_"Okay, what happened to our sweet boy?" Kelly asked once he was gone._

_"He's a teenager now Kel and apparently, he's got the McKay temper sneaking on him there."_

_"God help us." Kelly joked. "Alright, So date __night? We'll talk about it later?"_

_"You can bet on it." Dylan smiled._

_Kelly then hugged her younger son and daughter but still she couldn't remember if she'd kissed Dylan goodbye ._

* * *

"How's he doing?" Donna asked later that day as she sat there with Kelly in Sammy's room, the boy had been taken up for a couple more tests before being discharged for good the next day.

"Sam? He's fine, a little moody."

"Oh, what else is a surprise, he's a teenager, although I have to tell you that Ruby is ten and I feel sometimes she's worse than me at 15." Donna admitted.

"When did our kids become us huh?"

"I guess that's what happens when you grow up." Donna put in with a sigh. "How's Dylan?"

"The same, the doctor says it's still too early to tell but looks like he might be okay, that is if he gets that new liver."

"Might?"

"He is in a coma so a lot of things could happen." Kelly said, her voice low. "I've, I've been playing that morning in my head and can't remember if I kissed him goodbye."

"What are you talking about?"

Well you have kids, you know how it is."

"Kel, I don't think Dylan would go a day without showing you how much he loves you. He's Dylan."

"Exactly."

"And he's going to be okay."

Kelly wanted to believe that. More than anything she wanted to be sure of it.

* * *

**What did you guys think? **

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018.**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry.**

*******I just realized Dylan's brother was named Jack so I changed the name of their second son to Evan, and yeah I know Andrea's daughter's name is Hannah but there's a special reason for the name, so that one is staying the same :) **

**I own nothing. **

**Here's the next chapter. **

48 hours had passed and there was still no change on Dylan's condition. Kelly had sent Sammy with Donna and David as soon as he was discharged, cast in arm and all and made her friends promise to care for her kids once more.

"I love you Sam, you know that, don't you?" Kelly hugged her eldest child tightly, he was almost as tall as her and his unruly hair reminded her so much of Dylan when they were younger.

"I know, I love you too Mom." She held onto him just a little bit longer and when she finally let go, took a deep breath and went back to Dylan's room, as it had been, he was still there, asleep, he seemed peaceful but he was not Dylan peaceful.

Kelly knew him all too well.

* * *

_Iris had passed away about a year before so Kelly was utterly surprised when Dylan agreed on their summer vacation to be spent in Hawaii even with her gone. He'd made peace with his mother in the last years of her life, Kelly figured, mostly because of the kids, Iris had not been a good mother in the least but she did love Dylan and adored her grandkids, so for the last few years she and them had been flying back and forth every time they could. _

_"No one goes into the pool without Mom or Dad there." Kelly said to her youngest children, eyeing Sam too, if he went in, his brother and sister would want to join him. "Sam, please help us with the bags?" He did as he was told, dragging his feet. _

_He was such a teenager now, he __had just turned 14 and it was like a switch had been flipped, he was well mannered and polite and Kelly did her best to do what Jackie had never been able to do for her but she could see a change in Sam she didn't like, yet she hoped it to be just a phase of him being that age. _

_"Daddy, can we please go to the pool now?"_

_"Once you finish putting your things away in the room Han." Kelly said. "Remember that was the deal?" _

_"But..." _

_She huffed, looking at Dylan for support, he couldn't fight with the eyes she gave him, they were Kelly's. "You heard the lady, come on the faster you do it, the sooner we can go."_

_She was about to turn 8, all of her children had been summer babies, Sammy was born in June, Hannah, July and Evan in August._

_"Fine and then can we go surfing?" She asked. Her little tomboy, she dreamed of being a professional surfer one day, with Dylan as her coach, there cheering her on, Kelly just like with Sammy, hoped this too would only be a phase._

_"Tomorrow, I promise." Dylan said with a smile. "First thing in the morning, alright?"_

_And off she went, Kelly took strides then after she settled Evan with her phone in his own bed and followed Dylan into their own room._

_"Why is it that I'm so tired?"_

_"Well it was a long flight, maybe that's it?" _

_"No, I'm used to the trip Dylan, but I'm just exhausted." Kelly sighed as she collapsed on the bed. "Are you really going surfing early tomorrow?"_

_"That's when the waves are at their best Kel, you could come along or I could take the boys too and let you sleep in?" Dylan said joining her and kissing her softly on the cheek._

_"That sounds perfect, I might go to the spa."_

_"Sounds like a plan." He smiled. She had had a rough week with caring for Silver who had been staying with them after she had had a complicated couple months. "Now, can we please go to the pool before we have the kids rioting on us?"_

_"You want to go to the pool too Dylan Mckay, don't use your children as an excuse." She said as he rolled her over and was hovering on top of her which gave her the opportunity to kiss him._

_"Can you blame me? I want to see my gorgeous wife in a bikini."_

_"You're bad, even now, did you know that?" Kelly said with an eye roll._

_"I thought we'd already established that years ago." He mused kissing her again as he pulled her up to her feet and followed her outside to find the kids._

* * *

Kelly had gone to grab her second cup of coffee of the day when she saw Janet coming her way. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Donna and David made me promise not to leave you alone."

"Oh, yeah so typical of them huh?" Kelly sighed, moving back to Dylan's room.

"Well, they are just looking out for you." Janet said. "Can you blame them?"

Kelly sighed. "No, to tell you the truth, I can't."

"Mrs. Mckay." Dr. Bean made his way over to the women as they stood by the coffee machine corner. "How are we doing this morning?"

"I've been better, I can tell you that."

He nodded. "I've heard Sam was discharged, that's good news."

"Is there something you need to tell me about Dylan?" Kelly didn't need kid gloves, she needed answers.

"Yes, we've reviewed Dylan's latests tests and it seems he's suitable for a living liver transplant donation. We've taken this long to come up with the option because we needed him to cross the 48 hour window."

"So does that mean he can be taken out of the coma?" Janet asked.

"We can see how he reacts in the next few hours but his body seems to be healing as it should."

Kelly felt light headed. "Okay so how does it work?"

Dr. Bean smiled. "Well, waking up from a coma is like switching on a light with a dimmer and not with a switch. It's often a slow process that can take days or sometimes even weeks." He said. "But we can proceed to do it today and see how he responds to it."

"Okay, let's do it."

"Alright, there's some paperwork that needs to, uh, be filled out." Dr. Bean said. "Sandy will go over it with you."

"This is good news, right?" Janet said to Kelly softly. "And you said something about a living donor transplant? Does it need to be family?" She asked the doctor.

"No, not necessarily as long as the person is a match to the other donor."

"Okay then, we'll rally anyone we can." Janet said.

"Mrs. Mckay?" Dr. Bean spoke to Kelly who apparently had zoomed out. "Are you alright?"

* * *

_"Kel? Are you okay?" Dylan's soft voice said behind her. She almost jumped away, as she felt him closing his arms around her. _

_"I'm fine, I just…"_

_"What?"_

_Kelly turned around to reveal the small box she was holding in her hand. A pregnancy test. "I haven't taken it but it might explain why I have been feeling so tired, I mean it's not just because of Silver, Dylan, it feels much like last time. Like the last 3 times."_

_"Okay, then if you are, we'll deal with it."_

_"How can we have a baby now? Evan 's barely out of diapers."_

_"Then it's a good thing we haven't lost practice yet." Dylan smiled and Kelly rolled her eyes at him._

_"I'm not joking Dylan."_

_"Neither am I." He said in all seriousness. "Look, it's not like when we found out about Sam, and Kelly, we're not kids anymore. We can do this."_

_Kelly sighed once more. "I know we can but, I mean I'm not that young anymore, it feels like Erin and Jackie all over again."_

_"It's not Kel, trust me." He said. "Come on, you want to take it? Then I'll be here, holding your hand all the way through and we'll figure it out together." _

* * *

"Kelly?" She heard Janet calling her name again.

"Uh, sorry, I just… can we go do the paperwork now?"

"Of course." Sandy said leading her and Janet to the nurse's station.

"Hey kiddo, what are you doing?"

"A picture for my Mom." Hannah said to Donna as soon as she entered the room she was currently sharing with Ruby. "See? It's me, Mom and Dad, Sam and Evan , our dogs and the horses at the farm." She explained, pointing at everyone in the drawing. "Daddy says that you must use your talents to make others happy, he always makes up stories for me and Evan when we're upset so I thought a picture would help my Mom not being so sad." The little girl explained as Donna tried to keep her emotions in check.

"I'm sure she'll love it honey, and just in time for you guys to go to the hospital so you can give it to her."

"Aunt Donna?"

"Yeah sweetheart?"

"Do you think my Daddy will be okay?"

Donna sighed, kneeling closer to the girl and pulling her into her lap. "Well, if there's something I know about your Daddy is that he's one of the toughest guys out there and there's no way he's going to give up." Hannah smiled.

"Yeah, I think so too." She agreed. "I just wish he'd wake up now so we could all just go home, I mean I like being here with Ruby and all of you guys, but I like it better when it's just the weekend."

Donna held the girl even closer. "I know what you mean sweetie, come on let's go find your brothers so we can go see your Mom and Dad okay?"

The drive to the hospital was quiet. Sam would be going back to school the following Monday and it seemed as if he had this big cloud over his head as he was moodier than usual, Hannah kept staring at her picture wondering if it would be good enough to cheer her Mom up and Evan just kept asking when they were going to get there because he missed his Mommy and Daddy, Donna would glance at David from time to time worriedly.

They all needed this to end.

"Now remember you guys? It might be a little scary when you see your Daddy because there are a lot of tubes and medicine around him okay?" David explained as they walked over. "And we have to be very gentle."

"Hey Kelly, we're here." Donna announced softly as they met her in the lobby.

"Let me look at you, goodness." Kelly said to Hannah and Evan who made their way over to her instantly. "I've missed you guys, have you been good to aunt Donna and uncle David?"

"Yes, they've been perfect." Donna said. "Han, why don't you show your Mommy the picture you made?"

"What picture?" Kelly inquired. Hannah unfolded it carefully and handed it to her. "Oh, sweetie is this us?"

"Yeah, I thought you could leave it in near Daddy so that when he wakes up he can see it."

"It's beautiful honey, of course I will." Kelly hugged her child as thigtly as she could. "Come on, let's go and see him and you can leave it there yourself, how about that?" Kelly took Evan and Hannah's hands in hers, with Donna, David and Sam behind her. Kelly opened the door slightly. Sandy was just there tending to Dylan and she turned around with a soft smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry I was just about to leave. You must be Hannah, I've heard so much about you and you too Evan and of course I know Sam, I'll leave you then."

"Thank you Sandy."

"Of course."

"Daddy wake up, Daddy." Evan said from Kelly's arms.

"Come on, you want to sit with Daddy for a moment?" She moved slowly and placed Evan on the bed. Donna froze for a moment but Evan was gentle enough and just cuddled up beside Dylan the best he could. "Daddy's better Mommy?"

"He will be baby." Kelly said, more to her than him. "The doctors are working really hard to make him better."

"Here Daddy, I made this, I'm going to leave it here for when you wake up okay?" Hannah said. Kelly felt like as if her heart was sinking into her chest again as she watched her children interact with Dylan like that.

But Sam had remained frozen in a corner. "Sammy? Are you okay?" Kelly pulled her eldest child aside.

"Is it true they are taking him out of the comma?"

"Yes, later today." Kelly said to him.

"And then he's going to wake up?"

"Well, it might take him a few days but yeah that's the idea."

"I heard aunt Donna on the phone, they said they are doing a transplant and they can do it with someone that's alive? I want to do it, I mean who better than his own son, right?"

"Well, honey, that's very brave of you but only adults can be donors." Kelly said softly. "But don't worry, we're all taking the test to see who's the best match, we're doing all we can, I'm doing all I can so I can bring your Dad back I promise."

Sam only nodded.

"Sammy, are you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just worried about Dad." He said with a shrug but Kelly knew her son, something else was bothering him.

"Hey Sam, you know I'm here if you need to talk, right? Just as your Mom, not a shrink? We're all dealing with this differently and it's okay to talk about it."

"Yeah, I know, but it's fine, you don't have to worry about me." Sam moved to Dylan's side and away from his Mom for a moment to say goodbye as the nurse announced visiting hours would be over soon.

"Okay kiddos, we need to go now, Mommy's going to call you tonight. Evan you want to kiss your Daddy goodbye? Come here buddy." David lifted the little boy up so he could kiss Dylan's cheek and Hannah did the same.

"I love you Daddy, you need to wake up soon so we can go surfing, we're missing the best after summer waves." Hannah said kissing Dylan's cheek softly

"I love you all so much, I promise I'll take care of Daddy. Sammy? I love you." Sam nodded and said he did too and with one last glance at Dylan he followed David out the door.

"What are you thinking?" Donna asked Kelly.

"I'm not sure but if I didn't know Sam, I'd say he's worried about more than just Dylan waking up."

"Kelly, I mean he's clearly worried and upset about the accident. He lived it, it can't be easy for him to see his Dad like that."

"No, you don't get it Donna, I think something else happened the day with the two of them in the car."

A few hours passed and Kelly couldn't get the image of Sammy's face out of her head, even when the doctor said they were ready to proceed Kelly was restless, she stood there holding Dylan's hand as Donna, David and Steve stood beside her.

* * *

_"You know that this feels like senior year all over again?" Kelly mused at her husband as she swam toward him._

_"Yeah? Good, that's what I was aiming for."_

_"Really? Us being alone in a pool late at night?" Kelly smirked. "Well then, the occasion calls for this." And so she splashed water all over his face._

_"You are in trouble now Kelly Mckay!" Dylan laughed reaching out for her and pulling her back into him, and it did feel like back then, with her kissing him deeply and wrapping her legs around him as they made out. "Are you feeling any better?"_

_"I don't know, I wanted to credit my tiredness to something more than just life, but I guess it's my age that's finally catching up with me."_

_"Kel, are you kidding me? We're at our prime baby." That made her smile. "I mean it, don't even think about it okay? Don't be a Beverly Hills cliché." _

_She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but I mean, is it wrong I'm a little disappointed, I'm not pregnant? After I made such a big deal about it being a possibility but now that I think of it, it wouldn't be the worse, right?" _

_"Of course not, we're good at making babies, who are we kidding?" Dylan agreed leaning his forehead against hers. "And we can do something about that Kel, if you want to have another baby, we could, I mean we have the money and my books are doing good and we are too relationship wise and I mean we're still able to."_

_"Really? You'd want another baby?"_

_"If you want to."_

_"I don't know, I thought three was our number but now that I have pictured this other perfect little girl in my head… it's hard to shake it off."_

_"Or we could end up with another boy?" Dylan said cheekily._

_"Yes well, I'd be really outnumbered then." Kelly said attempting to kiss him and then pulling back."And you'd like that wouldn't you?" _

_"Don't do that if you don't mean it." Dylan echoed her own words at her._

_"I mean it." She said, pulling him into her once again._

* * *

"Are we ready Mrs. Mckay?"

"Yes, go ahead." Kelly could feel David's hand on her shoulder and Donna's hand in hers as the machines beeped.

It was only a few moments but Kelly swore Dylan was going to open his eyes there and then but he didn't. "He's still under heavy sedation so we might have to wait at least 12 hours to see any major change."

"Don't worry, he'll wake up." Steve said to Kelly. "He will, right guys?"

"Of course."

"Any news on the test results?" Kelly asked, trying to shake her mind off the idea of Dylan's eyes remaining closed.

"Well, neither of your friends are a match as of now." Dr. Bean said softly. "You, on the other hand…"

"I'll do it." Kelly said without hesitation.

"Are you certain, Mrs. Mckay, perhaps we should speak in private?"

"No, whatever you have to say you can. We're all family here." Kelly said looking at the guys.

"Well, I don't know if you were aware or not but, you are pregnant and the transplant while it's not more dangerous than normal in a healthy person, it could be a grave danger to the baby."

* * *

_**Okay, so here's the next chapter! What did you guys think?**_

_**Sorry for any mistakes you might find grammar wise.**_

_**Please review! **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry. **

**I just realized Dylan's brother was named Jack so I changed the name of their second son to Evan, and yeah I know Andrea's daughter's name is Hannah but there's a special reason for the name, so that one is staying the same :)**

**I own nothing. **

_Pregnant?_ Kelly had thought of it because of her scare during summer but never did she imagine it would happen, sure her and Dylan were still pretty active when it came to their intimacy, but with 3 kids, it just got harder and harder to find the time to be alone, even though that never seemed to stop her husband. Kelly was still amazed on how he could still be attracted to her like he was when he was 17, specially after three kids, he could drive her crazy but she still loved him the same she had back then too.

"Okay so what are our options?" Steve asked breaking the tense silence that had engulfed the room. "What can we do to help?"

"Well, Dylan is still on the top of the list transplant wise." Dr. Bean said. "Does he have, maybe siblings who could be donors?"

"Uh, yeah, he has a sister, right? Erica?" Steve said to Kelly.

"Maybe if we talk to her and explain what's going on? I mean Dylan took her care of her when she was little, you guys still keep in touch, don't you?" David said.

"Okay, have you been in contact with her since the accident Mrs. Mckay? Maybe you wish us to contact her?" Dr. Bean asked.

"Kelly, please call me Kelly." She begged, barely able to process so much information at once.

"Kel, we want to help you, please tell us how we can." Donna added in. Kelly just turned to look at Dylan whose eyes were still closed. Erica was a tricky subject for Kelly, even though she had been around now that she was an adult as much as she could but it hadn't been an easy relationship to fix, Erica was not an easy person much like her older brother, and yes, Kelly had thought of her, she had called her, she hadn't gotten back to her though. Kelly prayed she would.

"Alright, well Erica is our best bet right now, right?"

Kelly bit her lip as the doctor was called away but assured them he'd be back to check on Dylan again soon. "What is it Kelly?" Donna asked, knowing her friend well enough to sense there was something more.

"You might want to sit for this." She told them, and then she revealed something that up until that day, only her and Dylan knew about.

"Wait, hold on, Dylan has brothers?"

"Yeah, after Jack went into hiding, he married this woman, I only saw one of the kids who was about four back then but Dylan, he said Jack had written to him again years ago."

"So you don't know anything about them?"

"No, Dylan, after he found out Jack was alive and had another family, he didn't want that to haunt him anymore. I just know know one of his sons is named Jack."

"So that's why you haven't named one of your kid's after him?" Donna and Janet stared at Steve, fighting the urge to roll their eyes. "Oh yeah, sorry, okay so does Erica know?"

"No, and it's staying that way you guys, please don't say anything, nobody's supposed to know."

"We won't say a word, right boys?" Janet eyed David and Steve and so did Donna.

"Why are you looking at us?" David mused. "Of course we won't."

"But there's still the question of what we are going to do to help." Steve added in. "I mean it's Dylan, if Jack is still alive and there are siblings out there, shouldn't we go and look for them?" He glanced down at his phone as it buzzed. "It's Madeline. Maddie, honey, what's up? You are where?" Janet instantly glanced at her husband, "Hold on. I'll come meet you."

"You didn't think I was going to find out?" Maddie said as soon as she made it outside Dylan's room where her parents and aunts and uncles were. "Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"

"Maddie…"

"I want to take the test, Uncle Dylan is my Godfather and I'm 18, so I can help him, right?"

"Honey…"

"No aunt Kelly, come on, it's my decision to make and you and Uncle Dylan are always there for me, I want to do this, okay?"

"Sweetie, you might not even be a match."

"Right, but you said might, so I could be."

Kelly had had to sit down and take a break. She was now texting Silver who was babysitting the kids at Donna's with Felice Martin. "So now you know, don't you?" Sandy said as Kelly looked up. "I had a feeling what all that dizziness might be but I didn't want to meddle, congratulations Mrs. Mckay."

"Thank you." Kelly said with a soft smile. "Hey what happened to Kelly, not even my mother in law was ever called Mrs. Mckay."

"I'm sorry, bad habit," The younger woman said. "Kelly, I was wondering if you'd like me to run a scan for you?"

Kelly's heart sank. It felt like Sammy all over again, being alone doing this, Dylan not knowing, not being there. "If you want."

Kelly nodded, glancing at Dylan, whose cuts and bruises were beginning to fade. "Can it be right here? With him in the room?"

"Of course, do you want anyone else with you?"

She'd asked for Donna, they have been together through everything in the last 20 years more than most of their friends from West Beverly, she was almost certainly her sister and she didn't want to do it alone.

"Well, you are about 8 weeks along Kelly." Sandy said, she confessed she was taking classes to move to the OBGYN wing soon. Kelly smiled to herself.

"What?" Donna raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I told Dylan I thought I might be pregnant back in June and you know we were talking about how it could still happen and I guess it did, on that same two weeks we were in Hawaii. " Kelly could feel tears begining to stream down her face.

* * *

"_What are you thinking about Kel?" Dylan asked as he touched her face softly, they were laying in bed, in the middle of their first week in Hawaii, kids free and it felt like they were the only people in the world._

_"How happy I am right now." Kelly confessed. "How our lives turned out to be like this after all we went trough."_

_She had turned to face him now as he kissed her deeply._

_"I don't know why I was stupid enough as to break up with you the first time. I was an ass, wasn't I? Even after Sammy, I still acted like a stupid kid."_

_"We didn't know better Dylan." Kelly said after a moment. "That was what we were taught, how we grew up, Mel, Jackie, Iris, Jack, My Dad."_

_"I always thought I'd break the pattern."_

_"Well, we've been married for longer than most of them."_

_"But It hasn't been easy, has it?"_

_"Nope, but...Remember back in senior year when you told me we were soulmates? And then you dedicated your book to me?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"I didn't get it then, but I do now. Why always kept going back to you even though I was with other people."_

_"Why is that, Kel?" He grinned, his eyes shining in adoration. _

_"Because, back then, I sort of gave you my heart, a piece of my soul and I never really got it back." Kelly admitted. Dylan smiled, pulling her closer to him._

_"The feeling is mutual, trust me." He said, his lips on hers as he kissed her deeply._

* * *

"Everything seems normal. I'm still going to ask someone from OB to come and run a further test for you but, so far so good. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Kelly said as she tried to push her memories away as she turned to Dylan once more squeezing his hand. Donna told her she was going to go find the boys and she was left alone with her husband. "It's funny how life turns out, huh? Well, not even funny, I think it just has a wicked sense of humor and you are not getting out of it Dylan Mckay, I need you, we need you."

"Are you really going to do this without telling Kelly about it?" David told Steve as they sat in the hospital cafeteria.

"Who else, I mean It'd be really strange that either of them were a match but I'm running out of ideas."

"Madeleine might be..." David said.

"And if she's not?"

"I still think you should tell Kelly about it man, she doesn't need any more surprises in her life, with the baby and all."

"Well, someone has to do something." Steve said.

"Please tell me you two aren't trying to go find Dylan's brothers." Donna's voice came from behind them.

"Nope, we wouldn't know where to start but… " Steve began as she sat down at the table. "I might have a second to best idea."

"Brandon and Brenda? Really Steve?" Donna huffed. "They are like miles away, with families of their own and with all the history between them..."

"Yeah, but Kelly still keeps in touch with them and either of them could be a match." Steve said. "It would be awkward, yes, but what is that going to matter if they can help Dylan?"

"I don't know man, that's stirring a lot of dirt under the carpet." David said. "Specially for Kelly."

* * *

Everyone always told Kelly that Sammy was just like Dylan but she mostly saw herself in her son, Evan and Hannah reminded her more of her husband, but he was still a lot like his father, always trying to protect her.

"So, you are going to have to come in a week or so to have the stitches removed Sammy, but it looks like it's healing nicely." Dr. Bean said to the boy as Kelly and Donna stood beside him. "How are you feeling? Any dizziness?"

"No, not really." Sammy said with a shrug."I feel fine."

"Okay, good but if anything changes, you have my number and so does your Mom, call me anytime, alright?" Sammy nodded thanking him as the doctor left.

"Are you sure you feel okay honey?" Kelly asked as she helped Sammy with his jacket.

"Yeah, how is Dad?"

"Mostly the same." Sammy nodded. "But Dr. Bean is optimistic. How are things with Hannah and Evan?"

"They are okay, keep asking when you and Dad are going to be back home."

"I wish I had an answer." Kelly sighed. "Are you ready for school tomorrow? You know you don't have to go until you feel better, right?"

"I think I'd rather go, focus on other things you know?" Sammy admitted. "It will be fine."

"If you are sure baby."

"I am." Sammy said with a weak smile. Kelly took a deep breath as she nodded. "What is it Mom?"

"Come here and sit with me for a sec." Kelly said patting the bed and sitting on it. "Do you remember when we didn't live with Dad when you were little and you kept asking me about it?"

Sammy nodded. "And then you two were inseparable when we got back together and we knew we'd made the right decision, it wasn't going to be easy but it would be worth it because we would finally be a family." There was a silence that settled between the two of them. "Sammy honey, did, did something happen that day in the car or during the day with you and Dad?"

Sammy froze. "You can tell me honey, I know you, I know you are not just like this because of the accident."

"What if he doesn't wake up?" Sam said much to Kelly's surprise. "If he doesn't…"

"What baby?"

"We were arguing when it happened Mom, it wasn't a big blow out fight but I was mad and... I might not even be able to tell him that I'm sorry I caused it and I'm to blame for everything."

* * *

**Here's the next one guys, what did you think, let's hope Dylan wakes up soon! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry. **

**I just realized Dylan's brother was named Jack so I changed the name of their second son to Evan, and yeah I know Andrea's daughter's name is Hannah but there's a special reason for the name, so that one is staying the same :)**

**I own nothing**

Kelly stared at Sammy for a moment, her little guy wasn't that little anymore but he had been the reason she and Dylan had found their way back to each other again, back when they dated, Kelly was so afraid of ending up pregnant and while she and Dylan were so careful, their on and off relationship was passionate and they shared that physical connection as much as the spiritual and emotional one.

For her, Dylan would always be the one, the one she had given her heart to, her soulmate, that boy who would push her on the swings because there was no one else to do so, he had shown her kindness, love and friendship, alongside with a whole lot of drama, and it didn't turn easier when they were older, granted they had gotten back together at Donna and David's wedding, and gone on to travel, for once, Kelly allowed herself to be wrapped in the world that Dylan loved so much and she ended up loving it too, but she had to go back to the real world, to the store and Donna, to her studies and masters, to a world Dylan had never really known.

And he lived in it for a while, but soon, normalcy turned out to be too much for Dylan and he went off writing again.

She remembered that last night they had been together and having found out she was pregnant a few weeks later. By this point, she was 30 so the prospect of a baby wasn't as scary, she had a good job, she owned a home, she had her own business, which happened to be profitable.

She was more stable than her mother had ever been and even though she had never considered herself mother material, she wanted this, a baby, a little person that was part her and Dylan.

The picture was almost perfect, the only thing missing was Dylan, she debated with Donna and David about telling him at first. But she knew he would find out eventually and it would hurt him even more than she hadn't told him about it herself.

He wasn't Jack Mckay, he would be responsible, she had watched him with Erica when she'd been younger, with Erin, he was a guy who could be a parent.

An amazing one.

Kelly took a deep breath as she wrapped her arms around Sam. "Listen to me, none of this is your fault, no matter what was going on when the accident happened, you didn't do this Sammy."

"Yeah, but if Dad doesn't wake up…"

"We're not going there, not yet, not until they tell me there's no reason to believe he'll come back to us, we're going to be here and be strong, for him, okay?"

Sam smiled, trying to fight the tears welling up in his eyes. "And you can cry if you want to, there's no shame in that."

And so he cried right there in her arms and Kelly held him just as she had done countless times before.

* * *

Sammy McKay walked to school the Monday after the accident. He needed it, he wanted to go back to school, to focus on something else that wasn't his father being in the hospital, so far he'd been the lucky one even though he didn't remember much of what had happened.

Bella McGuire found him at his locker with a relieved smile on her face. "Welcome back Sammy, how are you feeling?"

Sam looked at his arm, still in a cast and a sling and sigh just as Bella wrapped him in a hug as carefully as she could.

"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt as much anymore."

"I heard about your Dad, how's he doing? My parents are going to go see your Mom after work today, they just didn't want to intrude."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

"He's still unconscious." Sam said. "The doctors pulled him out of the coma but…"

"He will be okay Sammy."

"Yeah, that's what everyone keeps telling me." He sighed.

"Mr. McKay, your mother told me you might be coming back to school today." Mrs. Lindell smiled at Sam. "We are all praying for your father."

"Thank you." Sam said weakly.

"Come on, we should get to class."

The day had passed in a blur to Sam, between the teachers looking at him funny and his Mom texting him, his friends trying their best to make him feel better but they couldn't. All he wanted was for his Mom to tell him his Dad was awake.

But the text hadn't come.

* * *

_**"Kel?" Dylan's voice pulled her out from her thoughts. "What. what happened? Where's Sammy?"**_

_**"You two were in an accident." Kelly explained, taking his hand in hers as he reincorporated himself the best he could. "Sam's okay."**_

_**"I can barely remember what happened." Dylan admitted and Kelly knew he'd blame himself even if hadn't been his fault.**_

_**"That doesn't matter Dylan." Kelly said softly, her defenses falling slowly as she sat on one side on the bed and her eyes prickled with tears. "What matters it's that you are both going to be okay."**_

_**But Dylan knew her and could read her like no one else could, he knew there was something else going on. He reached out so he could touch her face and Kelly melted against his touch. She lowered her face so he could reach for her lips and kissed her softly. "Talk to me Kelly."**_

_**"You are going to need a transplant." She said after a moment. "The doctors are waiting to see how you respond to the drugs but they say it's almost a sure thing, they don't want to take any chances."**_

_**"How bad?"**_

_**"Your liver."**_

_**Dylan wanted to laugh at the irony, if the drugs and alcohol hadn't killed him, his liver could eventually cost him his life. "Welcome back Dylan." The doctor appeared in that moment to check on him. "How are you feeling?"**_

_**"I've been better." He said.**_

_**The doctor nodded. "Listen, right now, the machines are doing what your liver is meant to and we have you controlled but the transplant is necessary in the long term."**_

_**"You haven't found a donor."**_

_**"No, but you are in good shape and the fact that you are responding well gives us hope that as soon as a liver becomes available, you'd be able to go home." Dr. Bean said.**_

_**"I'm going to hold you to that doc." Dylan said as the younger man excused himself and left the room. "How's Sammy, really?"**_

_**"He thinks the accident was his fault because you two argued**__**." Kelly told him. Dylan sighed and ran his hand through his face in frustration. "It wasn't like that, not at first, we were running late but he was with a girl..." Dylan said. "They were talking about some project and I didn't want to rush him. I think he likes her."**_

_**Kelly couldn't help but smile. "He just turned fourteen, god help us." Dylan smiled too. "Let me guess? Bella Mcguire?"**_

_**"How did you know?"**_

_**"I've seen them talking a few times, finally being the school counselor has its perks."**_

_**"True." Dylan agreed. "So, you think he likes her, likes her?"**_

_**"What are you? 12?"**_

_**"No, but I once liked, liked a girl in my class." Dylan joked.**_

_**"And what happened to her?"**_

_**"I'm staring right at her." He smiled, even at 43, it was easy to see that he was still the same boy she had fallen for, but the picture of him having grown up and being their daughter's hero was something Kelly could live with too.**_

* * *

Kelly woke up from her slumber beside Dylan, it had all been a dream, he wasn't awake yet. She sighed, answering yet another text from Sam, no change yet and it broke her heart. Her son was in so much pain over what had happened but he wouldn't talk about it, at least not to her, the curse of being a psychologist at your kid's school.

"Oh, I'm sorry honey, did I wake you?" Donna asked beside her.

"No, I just, had some kind of weird dream. Has the doctor come by?"

"Not yet, here, I brought you some tea." Her friend said sweetly handing her a cup. "You should go home for a while and sleep Kel, it's not good for you to be in here all day."

"God, I wish I could drink coffee right now." Kelly said glancing at Dylan. "Sam keeps texting me and I don't have something different to tell him Donna, it's killing me."

"Does he still think it's his fault because they were arguing?" Kelly nodded. "What about even? I thought those two got along great."

"They do, most times, he's been asking us to stay alone with the little ones at home and we keep telling him no, my guess is that, that was what they were arguing about, from what Sam said."

"Well, he is fourteen Kelly, and he's the most responsible teenage boy I've met." Donna said. "Other than David back then, Sam would be the one I'd trust my kids with." Kelly smiled.

"Yes, but, first it's babysitting and then it's a car and then girlfriends and.."

"Then he won't be your little boy anymore."

"Exactly, I don't know, Dylan and I, we just want to keep him being a kid for a little longer, when we were his age, we'd already done so much growing up, or so we thought." Kelly laughed bitterly.

_"I can't believe you are going to be a freshman in highschool next week." Kelly had said earlier that summer. "You are officially not my baby anymore."_

_"It's just highschool Mom."_

_"No, it's not, it's a rite of passage Sammy." Dylan pointed out. "I know that for me it was one of the most important times of my life and one of the hardest." He admitted after a moment as he and Kelly shared a look._

Kelly brushed yet another memory away as she got a call from Hannah's school. She drove over, leaving Dylan in Donna's care.

"Mrs. Mckay, I'm very sorry but Hannah wasn't feeling well and she never complains, we understand how delicate the situation is right now, so we thought we should call you."

Kelly glanced at her daughter as she sat on a chair. She still hadn't told her children about the new baby, but she knew she and Evan were dealing with this their own way, and specially with Dylan who was Hannah's hero, she was having the hardest time understanding why this was happening.

"Did Daddy stay by himself? I'm sorry, I thought they wouldn't call you."

"Han, it's okay, he's with aunt Donna, you didn't think I was going to leave him alone, did you?" Hannah waved her head. "Right, so you are not feeling well, what's up?"

"My tummy hurts." Kelly stared at her 8 year old as she crouched down to her level. and as her Mom, she understood instantly.

"I think I know what's up sweetheart, you are really, really worried about everyone, aren't you? Daddy and Sammy and me."

Hannah looked down as she nodded slowly. "You are one sweet special little girl, did you know that? And I'm so lucky to be your Mom." She said softly as she lifted her chin to make her look up. "I promise you, sweetie, we will be okay."

Kelly drove Hannah back with her to the hospital, hoping to ease her child's worries. "Sweetheart, is everything okay?" Donna asked.

"Yes fine…" Kelly sighed as she allowed the little girl to lay back on the couch in the room and turn on the TV. "What am I doing here Donna?" Her friend raised an eyebrow up. "My kids are struggling and I'm not seeing it."

"Kel, you are doing what you can, all mothers, we want to be Wonder Woman, but most times we don't have it all figured out."

* * *

_"So Sammy, what Daddy and I mean is…" Kelly tried explaining her barely five year old as she sat beside him on the couch, Dylan on the other side. "Is that, there's a little baby inside Mommy's tummy."_

_"Like Ruby was?" Sammy asked._

_"Yes, exactly like Ruby." Dylan smiled. "And he or she will come soon, so we have to be prepared."_

_"Okay." He said, holding his chin in deep thought. "Will it be a boy or girl?"_

_"We don't know yet bud." Dylan said. "What do you think about it? Do you like the idea?" Sammy looked at Kelly, a wave of weariness filled his eyes._

_"What's wrong Sammy?"_

_"Is Daddy going to stay for good this time?" The question took them both by surprise, a flash of pain crossed Dylan's features but he was quick to recover, Kelly answered before he could. "Yes, of course he is."_

_"I promised, didn't I?" Dylan said softly. Sammy nodded. "And I make that promise to you again Sammy, you, Mommy and the new baby are the most important thing in my life, I'm not going anywhere."_

_"And if he goes anywhere.." Kelly said taking one of Dylan's hands in hers. "He's taking us with him, right?" Kelly said looking at Dylan who reaffirmed his silent promise yet again. _

* * *

Sammy tried to remember the last time he had been left alone since this whole thing had happened, his mother and Aunt Donna had taken Hannah down to the cafeteria and he had offered to stay with his Dad. He had wanted that time alone with him. To think, for the longest time when he was little, he had this image of his father, the man he and his Mom visited almost every vacation, they would get on a plane and he couldn't wait to see him, sometimes Sam wished he couldn't remember a time where his father wasn't there, he wanted to have all his memories to be of his parents being together like his brother or sister had.

He remembered being at their wedding when he was about 5, a year or so after his Dad had come back for good to stay with them. He was browsing on his phone for a picture to send Bella when he came upon one taken on their latest trip to Hawaii, there they were, Dylan and Sam with their surfboards, Hannah holding hers as well and Evan and his Mom beside them, all beaming.

"I remember the day you came to the house, Mom and I had just gotten back from visiting you at the ranch and she'd been sad all week, I had tried the longest time to cheer her up but she just kept telling me, she'd be okay, that everything would be okay and then you showed up and you and Mom talked for the longest time, I didn't really understand much of what was been said but I somehow knew she wouldn't have to be upset anymore, because you had come back and we were finally a family. You kept your promise and now you have to come back again, okay?" He said holding his hand gently.

There was a loud beeping that forced Sam to look up at the machines. A nurse came running into the room as another pushed Sam away, he froze there looking at the team of doctors who rushed in. "Sam, come on, let's go outside and let the doctors work." Sandy had said as she pulled him outside the room.

"Sam?" a familiar voice spoke from behind him

* * *

"Brandon, he called Brandon?"

"And Brenda." Donna added in a whisper as she glanced at Hannah who was sleeping on her lap, Kelly tried to take a breath, she had somehow kept in touch with the Walsh twins over the years, she had flown to Brandon's wedding years ago and had gone to visit Brenda and her kids a few times, but she hadn't dared to ask for their help regarding Dylan, there was a lot of water under that bridge even though she knew that they wouldn't even hesitate to come and help if they were needed, but this was too much.

And it would be very ironic if either of them were a match to Dylan.

_"Kelly Taylor." Brandon Walsh had spoke behind her as she came face to face with him in the first time in years._

_She was now married to Dylan and had another baby. "I didn't actually think you were going to show." He said hugging her close._

_"We agreed, we'd always be friends, right?" Kelly said. Brandon nodded._

_"Of course. Where's Dylan?"_

_"Parking the car, getting the kids."_

_"Really? Dylan?"_

_"You'd be surprised what parenting does to you." Kelly said to him. And it was in fact quite a surprise when the rest of Kelly's family arrived just a few minutes later, kids in tow. Sammy was now taller and the curls in his head longer and Dylan held baby Hannah in his arms, it was quite the picture from the guy Brandon had first met as a teen. "Hey man."_

_"Long time no see bud. Purple suits you." Brandon said referring to the swimsuit Hannah was wearing. It was the day before the wedding and they had all gathered for one last hurrah at Jim and Cindy's new condo in Santa Barbara._

_"Thanks, I think so too." Dylan said kissing the baby's forehead, meanwhile Sam was asking Kelly something._

_"Here, I'll take her." She offered. "I have to change her anyway, come on Sammy, you still have to get some sunscreen on you and I'm sure these boys want to catch up." She said eyeing them carefully as she went. __Both men stared at Kelly as she walked away. "So, how do you feel about getting married?" Dylan said as they both turned to face each other again._

_"How did you feel?" Brandon asked with a shrug. _

_"Well, Kelly and I had done things backwards already, but man on the inside? I was freaking out."_

_"Really, you?"_

_"Yes, definitely." He said nostalgically. "Even though it was my second time at it." __Brandon nodded at the sadness in Dylan's voice. _

_"Well, I guess, that's how it works then because I'm pretty nervous myself." Brandon said._

_"You'll be fine, just don't say the wrong name or anything like that." Dylan joked. Brandon rolled his eyes playfully._

_"You left those two alone?" Janet asked as she met Kelly in the bathroom with Stevie and Caroline._

_"They'll survive." Kelly joked as she was changing the baby's diaper. "I know our formative years were full of drama but I'm hoping they've grown out of it, is it foolish?"_

_"Well, you are at your ex fiance's wedding with your husband who was also your highschool boyfriend." Janet said. "It's a little complicated."_

_"Yes, but I've always believe we were friends first above all." Kelly said._

_"So, you still haven't seen Brenda?" Kelly rolled her eyes. "What? It's been quite the dance between you and the Walsh twins."_

_"Yes well, like I said, I hope we've all grown out of it." Kelly said as they made it back outside, Dylan and Brandon were still talking and now Steve had joined them. "Where's Maddie?"_

_"Oh, the pool, which is where you are heading too, huh Sammy?"_

_"Yep, go ahead and ask Daddy to go in with you sweetheart, I'm going to go sit for a second okay?"_

_"Okay." And with that Sammy was gone._

* * *

"Sam? Where's your Mom?" Dr. Bean asked as he came out of the room.

"Uh, the cafeteria I think. What's wrong?"

"Actually, it's good news." The man smiled softly. "I think she'd like to see for herself."

Kelly was actually nervous to step into the room as she was informed Dylan was awake, she had rushed up but was now actually taking a step back, fearing she might somehow still be in some kind of dream once again.

"Hi Kel." His hoarse voice was even deeper from the slumber and the raspiness of the tube he'd been submitted to for the last 3 days or so.

She had wanted to scream at him and tell him how scared she had been but she couldn't find the words.

Kelly was afraid this would turn out to be just a dream too.

* * *

**Sooo... Dylan is awake... Yay! And there's more drama and flashbacks ahead. **

**Please tell me what you think about where the story is going and thanks to everyone supporting it. **

**Until next time guys! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry. **

**I own nothing**

Kelly couldn't remember the last time she had laid down with Dylan like this and being afraid of opening her eyes and him being gone, actually, when they had first gotten back together, she would have this recurring nightmare, not that she had ever admitted it to him.

"Something wrong Kel?" Dylan whispered against her hair tenderly as his hand played with her short blond strands.

"No, nothing…" Kelly sighed looking at him, her hand to his chin. "Just, that I can't wait until you get out of here and we get to go home."

"You read my mind." He smiled weakly. Kelly kissed him softly as she stood up amidst his protests and offered him yet another sip of water. It was the first night she'd be spending at the hospital with him awake, still not knowing when they would find a liver. She had sent the kids home with Donna, wanting to selfishly spend some time alone with Dylan, to tell him about the baby.

She could vividly remember every time she'd told him she had been pregnant, Sam had being a shock, Hannah a surprise and Evan an unexpected last hurrah, or so they thought.

"Hey, I need to talk to you about something." At first she'd resisted telling him right away, instead she wanted to talk to him about Sam and their argument the day of the accident, she knew her son was weary around him for a reason and he had avoided talking to his father right away as to not make his brother and sister or her upset, but Kelly knew they would eventually have to talk.

Dylan stared right at her, and Kelly was thankful for that, she honestly thought she'd never get to see those beautiful eyes again.

"So, Hawaii?" Dylan asked playfully as she bit her lip, remembering just how much fun it had been to have his old babysitter take the kids for two nights or so during the trip. "Okay and are you happy about it?"

"I am." She smiled. "A little nervous because it's considered to be high risk but yeah, I'm happy."

Dylan smiled back. "Come here." She sat there beside him again and he kissed her. "I'm happy too Kel, really, really happy."

"Good, because we do make pretty cute babies."

"We do." Dylan agreed sweetly. "Do the kids know?"

"No, not yet, but our friends do, uh, when I had to take the test for the transplant…"

"Right…"

"There's something else…" She said. "I am a match but the doctor said it would be dangerous for the baby." Dylan took a minute to process the new information he'd been given. "I guess I'm just foolishly hoping someone else in this world is a match and I don't have to make that decision but if it comes to it…"

"You'd want to do it?"

"How can you ask me that? Of course I would…" She said defensively. Dylan touched her cheek softly and she melted against him.

"No one else was a match?"

"No, not even Maddie."

"Maddie was here?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah, she said she was an adult and wanted to help you no matter what." Kelly smiled. "Sam wanted to take the test too but he's too young."

"So, you were the only match?" Dylan repeated.

"Wickedly, yes." Dylan smiled. "What?"

"So I guess we really are soulmates huh?" Dylan said softly as she leaned her head against his chest, listening to his beating heart and just being glad he was beside her.

* * *

_**"Are you sure you don't need anything Kel?" Donna asked for the hundredth time that morning. Kelly needed something Donna couldn't give her, of course there wasn't anything she really needed. "Right, stupid question, sorry."**_

_**Kelly smiled weakly, not really wanting to be upset with her, all her friends were just trying to help her, but this was proving to be harder than she thought, to be honest, she never pictured herself being here.**_

_**With having to raise four kids on her own. When she had first found out about Sam, her mind and heart were divided on what do do, Dylan wouldn't just stay because of the baby, she loved him and knew what of a good man he was, but he was Dylan and commitment was not something he had ever been ready for.**_

_**Yet, she told him and they had tried to navigate their relationship, the upcoming birth of their child.**_

_**But now it was 3 and a half kids later and Kelly found herself alone yet again. Only now it had not been her fault or Dylan's.**_

_**She looked down at her hands from her spot on the couch at Donna and David's living room. She was 5 months pregnant and dealing with Dylan's funeral the best she could.**_

_**Dylan was gone and her worst nightmare had come true.**_

_**"Kel?" A familiar voice spoke as she looked up, almost instantly. Brandon Walsh stood there in front of her, the years had not changed him much, he still had those pair of calming blue eyes and comforting voice. "I know that whatever I say won't be enough to make what you are feeling better, but… if you need me, I'm here, alright?" He spoke taking her hand and sitting beside her. "Whatever you need Kelly, I mean it, Niki and I are more than willing to help."**_

_**Kelly stared at her ex-boyfriend. Now a famous journalist, married and with four kids of his own, to Nicky Wittt of all people, his sophomore once girlfriend. "I'm just really sorry Kelly, I try to make sense of it all and it just doesn't feel real that he's gone."**_

_**Kelly could see he was emotional talking about Dylan, they had been the best of friends even with everything that had gone down when they were kids.**_

_**"He loved you so much, I hope you know that." Kelly said to him with a grim smile.**_

_**"I did too. Still do." Brandon admitted sweetly, holding her hand tightly. "How are the kids?"**_

_**Right, her kids, Sammy true to his Taylor nature was helping his mother around with all he could while trying to hide how hurt he really felt. Hannah had asked people to call her Grace, because Hannah was her middle name and a favorite of Dylan's. Also, Han was out of the question.**_

_**And Evan, her sweet boy, she wished she could explain to him what had just happened to his Daddy, and yet, Kelly couldn't make sense of it herself anymore and he was just very confused, strangely though, he had been the one to make more sense of it thanks to Donna who had explained his Daddy was now an angel and who would always care for them from afar and that he could talk to him whenever he wanted.**_

_**Still, Kelly's heart ached for the little baby who would never get to know Dylan and the kind of man he was.**_

_**"Kelly, are you sure you don't want to go upstairs and maybe rest for a minute?" Janet offered coming into the living room.**_

_**"You should, I'll help you if you want." Brandon offered. "It would do you good Kelly."**_

_**"No, thanks. I need to go check on my kids…"**_

_**"We've got them honey, I promise." Janet said coming closer to Kelly so she wouldn't get up. "You should think of yourself now."**_

_**"No, not really, all I can think about is them, do you know how hard it is to grow up without a father? I do, and it can mess you up really bad…"**_

_**"Kelly, we're all going to be here to help…"**_

_**"And I appreciate it but it's not the same… You are not Dylan…" Brandon tried to shake the pain painted on his face quickly but Kelly had noticed it. "I'm sorry, I just…"**_

_**"Don't be sorry Kelly." Brandon said sweetly, the noise of steps made all of them turn around and come face to face with Brenda Walsh.**_

_**Kelly tried to contain her tears as she thought she could no longer cry but seeing her best friend standing there was too much for her to handle and they cried together, for that part of their lives, for the memories, happy and sad ones that had seemed to have died with Dylan.**_

_**Steve Sanders had run off upstairs in seek of silence, the idea of tending to guests, something he had been taught to do with his mother's constant parties seemed to have come in handy and yet he only seemed to be able to function in auto pilot, that was until he spotted the young boy sitting on the bed in the master bedroom, his face was down and he was shaking.**_

_**"Sam?" Steve hadn't meant to startle him, but Sammy just looked up at him slowly, with Dylan's matching eyes shining from the tears he had shed. The teen didn't speak, he didn't need to, so Steve did what he thought best and sat beside him on the bed as he held him.**_

_**"What are we supposed to do now Uncle Steve?" Sam asked in a shaky voice once they had pulled apart. "How am I meant to take my Dad's place?"**_

_**"That's not what you have to do Sam. It's not how it works, your Mom is one of the strongest people I know and you kids are just like her, you'll get through this together."**_

_**"How?"**_

_**"By taking one day at a time I guess?" Steve said.**_

_**Sam didn't respond right away. "When he left, uh, the first time we came back to LA, I didn't really understand why my Dad wasn't like all the other ones at my school, I thought it was because of me that he didn't want to live with us, because maybe there was just something really wrong with me."**_

_**"Sam…"**_

_**"I've never told my Mom that, but then she said we'd be okay you know and I wanted to believe her, I did for a long time and then every time we saw Dad I wished we could stay with him for good and when we didn't, I became angry, at my Mom, at him."**_

_**"Did you ever talked to him about this?"**_

_**"No, I didn't want to accuse him of anything but I did ask my Mom years later and she told me about Jack."**_

_**"And what did you think?"**_

_**"It wasn't Dad's fault that he wanted to run, it was just what he knew because everyone in his life sort of eventually disappeared."**_

_**"But he didn't…" Steve concluded.**_

_**"No, he didn't. He became so far from the guy he was most afraid to take after. He was a really good Dad."**_

_**"Yeah, he was and that's how you need to remember him like Sammy, like the good man he was." Sammy nodded.**_

_**"I'm really worried about Mom. I want to help her but I just don't know how to."**_

_**Steve stared at him again. He didn't know either.**_

* * *

Kelly opened her eyes to the sound of Dylan's voice calling for her. "Hey, Kelly, come on, it was just a nightmare…"

"What?"

"You were screaming, are you okay?"

"I'm fine... I just... " Kelly bit her lip as she hesitated to tell him what the dream had been about. "Dylan, I thought I was going to loose you."

"Come on Kel, that's not how it works right, only the good ones die young…"

"It's not funny…" She snarled at him.

"Right, sorry. Do you want to tell me what the dream was about?"

"Your funeral." She said quickly reincorporating herself on the chair she had been resting on. "And Brenda and Brandon showing up."

"Right, I guess, we'll never escape our pasts completely, will we?"

"Apparently not. Even our subconscious seems to remind me what kind of a person I was when I was younger."

"Kelly, you weren't the only one who made mistakes alright, we did a lot of stupid things back then, I mean not just you and me but them too."

Kelly bit her lip, she didn't want to have to remember just what had gone down all those years ago, when it had all been a competition, one no one was going to win at and just hurt each other.

"Dylan, I need to tell you something…"

"More surprises? Okay…"

"Steve, he, he called Brenda and Brandon down here." Dylan's face hardened. "I'm not even sure if they are going to show or not but… I just didn't want you to be caught off guard if they did."

"Well, we've seen them over the years Kel, we've all been grown ups about it."

"I know, but that doesn't mean it will be easy if one of them turns out to be a match, does it?"

"Wait, they're… they are thinking about being donors?" Dylan asked.

"That's what Steve called them for, but even if they show up, no one but me is guaranteed to be a match."

"Kel…"

"Maybe I should be the one to do it, you know? It's part of our vows, in sickness and in health, you'd do it for me in a heartbeat, right?"

"Of course I would Kel, but the baby…"

"We don't know for sure if I'd lose it…"

"Have you had a scan yet?"

"Yes, I had one before you woke up, it doesn't mean I don't want to do it. I love you, the kids love you, I can't choose between that."

"Let's wait then, so you don't have to."

"Dylan…"

"You really wanted this to happen Kel and it did, maybe it means something…"

Kelly smiled but Dylan caught the irony before she had a chance to say anything. "God, I sound like Iris, don't I?" They both laughed.

"Well, you were always spiritual in someway. I guess it's the writer in you." Kelly said just as Donna and David came into the room.

"It's good to see Kelly smiling for a change, and you two together, like everything is right in the world again." David said. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay Kelly? You should really get some rest, real one."

"I'll be fine on the couch one more night David…" Kelly said to him in all seriousness as she turned to Dylan.

"Fine, but I'm staying tomorrow, you really should go home and take care of yourself Kel." David said.

"I'll take you on that offer brother, for sure. If she doesn't want to go, I'll drag her out myself."

"And I'll help." Donna said with a smile as she walked over to say her goodbyes to them both. "So glad you are back with us Dylan, we've missed you."

"Don't ever do that to us again bro, It's not funny anymore, huh?" David smirked at him. Dylan hugged his friends the best he could, just as they left, he turned to Kelly.

"What do you say we call the kids?"

"You read my mind."

* * *

Sam smiled as he put his phone back inside his pocket after having had a call from his parents. It was funny the kind of turn the last 24 hours had taken. His Dad was awake although he still needed a transplant, but the doctor had said he was out of danger as of now.

"Okay, now you follow the line Evan, and then we'll get Sam to sign it." He heard Hannah say to her brother in the other room as the two of them had decided to watch some TV. Their aunt Silver was working on her laptop from the couch as he came in.

"Oh, Sam, come on you have to sign this for Dad, we all are." Hannah said to him. Sam knelt down to his siblings's level on the small table with a look from his aunt Silver. "Okay, what should I write?"

"Whatever you want. You are the one who likes writing like Daddy…" His sister pointed out to him and he sighed as he stared at the card in front of him. Hannah had taken upon herself to add his brother's message and her own on the card.

"What's wrong Sammy?" Evan asked, Sam smiled at his little brother.

"He's worried about the transplant, right aunt Silver?" Hannah said, Sam turned to look at his aunt.

"Is it going to hurt?" Evan asked worriedly. Hannah turned to her brother again. Silver put her laptop to the side then.

"No, it won't buddy, your Daddy will be sleeping the whole time." Erin said.

"And then we go home?" The little boy asked again.

"And then, after a little while, you all go home, that's the idea bud..,"

"But don't worry Evan, the doctors taking care of Dad? They are the best at what they do and they'll make sure he gets better." Sam added. Silver smiled at him.

Sam sighed, telling himself the same thing and wishing he could believe it as strongly as Evan and Hannah did.

* * *

Dylan was meant to begin walking today as he was feeling stronger and they didn't want him to begin to develop lesions. She had insisted to help him as she and Sandy kept an eye on him as he got out of bed and began to move slowly, almost unsure, very unlike Dylan Mckay. "If you feel sore or any pain Mr. Mckay, you tell us, alright?"

"Dylan is fine." He insisted. Sandy smiled at Kelly as she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. It was a text.

From Brandon Walsh no less.

He had just landed in LA.

* * *

**Soooo, I got you there with the funeral didn't I? But we did learn a bit more about Sammy's feelings and Brandon just arrived in LA, let's see what happens next shall we? Will Brenda show up? Who will be a match? I hope I can update sunday :) **

**Thanks for all the support guys, I'm having a really good time writing this and you all make it all worth it keep leaving reviews if you can. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry. **

**I own nothing**

Brandon Walsh had last seen Kelly Taylor a few months before when he had flown to a press conference. His ex- fiancée looked just as beautiful as always but it was not a lie that work, marriage and kids kept little time to be traveling around to his old home so they didn't see a lot of each other.

And for the longest time, Beverly Hills was just too painful for Brandon to fathom. Washington was his home now and he figured it had all worked out in the end for everyone to end up with whoever they were meant to.

"Brandon…"

"Hi Kelly." She smiled at him sweetly, her face was tired and it seemed to show just how delicate the situation was, specially because it came to Dylan, but he still wondered why she hadn't called him but rather than to have Steve tell him about what had happened.

She hugged him happy to see him and relieved to be out of the hospital, even if it was just for a moment. "I came as soon as they called me, how's he doing?"

"Awake, so that's a bonus." Kelly said. "He had been unconscious for the last 3 days and a half."

"And Sammy? Is he okay?"

"He's fine, just a few bruises and a cast I'm sure he's going to want you to sign , Honestly? He's done much better than me, I'm a mess." Kelly laughed softly.

"Kel, you are one of the strongest people I know, okay?"

"Yes, well, this has been a little too much for me, if it weren't for Donna, Janet or my sister and the guys, I'd gone crazy already." She sighed, breathing into her hands. Sorry but... hey, "I'm glad you are here."

They walked inside as she led him to the elevator, just as her phone chimed again.

Erica McKay was at the airport. She had finally arrived after telling Kelly she would flight from her small Alaska town home as soon as she could, the weather had been quite the issue and she had not being able to fly since finding out about the accident.

From having no options to lean on, it seemed that possibilities were raining on Kelly at the same time.

She would call that a blessing.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, Erica just landed, I'm going to ask David to go and get her, how is Nikki, the kids?"

"They're good, I'm getting used to normal sleep again." Brandon said. "You know how it is, twins, plus Ben, plus the new baby, it's a recipe for disaster."

"Yes but I don't think we'd change it for anything at this point would we?"

"No, you are right." Brandon said just as they reached Dylan's door. "Wait Kelly, he did know I was coming, right?" She nodded. "And does he know about Brenda?"

"Yeah, she hasn't gotten back to Steve though…" Brandon nodded as if he knew something but wasn't letting it on.

"It doesn't have to be awkward, does it?"

"No, of course not, we've always been friends, haven't we?"

"Right…" Brandon smiled as he knocked softly on the door and opened it.

"Uncle Brandon?" Sammy lifted his head from his spot next to Dylan's bed. He was sleeping, the boy moved to the side and away from the bed as they stepped almost outside.

"Hey Sammy, man, you got tall, when did that happen?" Brandon said measuring him up jokingly with his hand.

"Summer I guess."

Brandon smiled. "How's he doing?"

Sam shrugged. "Okay, the medicine makes him tired though. Mom, the doctor just came in and said he needed to talk to you."

"Okay honey thank you, where's everyone?"

"The cafeteria…"

"Oh, okay, would you stay with him a little longer while I go find the doctor?"

"Yeah, sure, how long are you staying Uncle Brandon?"

"I'm… not sure yet, depends on what the doctor says…"

"So you are doing it?" Sam asked. Kelly looked at him the way she would stare at Dylan when he did something he wasn't meant to. "Mom told me."

"I'm just taking the test for now, and then we'll see, how's that sound?"

"Good I guess. but if you are a match, you'll do it, won't you?"

"Sammy…" Kelly warned but Brandon didn't want to make a fuss, he didn't want to wake up Dylan, but he understood where the boy was coming from, it was a matter of life and death.

"Sorry but Mom if he can help…"

"I get it bud, I do, and if I can help your Dad, I will okay?"

* * *

"I'm sorry about that…" Kelly said to Brandon as they took yet another elevator to try and find Dr. Bean.

"Don't worry Kelly, really, I know how that can be. Remember my Dad's heart attack a few years back? no one should be in a position like that, I get it." Kelly sighed, she had been there actually, way too many times to count.

They found Sandy on the floor just as Dr. Bean was coming out of a room. "Mrs. McKay…uh, Kelly, sorry." He said when she crossed her arms in annoyance which made Brandon smile a little.

"This is my friend Brandon Walsh, we'd like to see if he's a match to Dylan..." Kelly said. Dr. Bean shook hands with the other man.

"Of course, Sandy will take you down whenever you are ready." He said. "Thank you."

"Sam also said you needed to talk to me about something else?"

Kelly listened to the doctor the best she could as he explained Dylan's current status. He was still to make 3 hour walks to prevent from swelling of the joints or any other complication.

"And we must keep Dylan as active as possible until we are able to perform the transplant. I also wanted to ask you about your husband's past health issues…"

"Past health issues?"

"He told the nurse he had had drug problems in the past?" Dr. Bean said as neutrally as possible as if he'd seen it before.

"Yes, uh when he was in his 20's, but he's been clean for years…" A wave of fear filled Kelly as if the doctor would simply judge Dylan due to his past but she brushed it off, she knew he was just doing his job, and her husband was not a kid anymore, he was someone she and her children could count on.

"That explains why he rejected some of the drugs we gave him and the abnormalities we found in his liver…"

Sam had curled his good arm around Dylan to help him stand but it was quite funny to have them both balance each other out as Sandy held onto his other side. "If you are tired Dylan, we can take a break."

"Nope, I'm good thanks." He said to the nurse with his most charming tone. "Where's your Mom?"

"She and uncle Brandon went to find Dr. Bean…"

"Brandon's here?"

"Yeah and so is aunt Erica, she just texted me about how much she hates traffic and LA. "

"That sounds like my sister alright." Dylan mused. "Dogs and slades sound quite nice, compared to one of the most crowded cities in the world huh?" They took another step as Dylan winced in pain "But your Mom hates the cold…" His dad mused.

"Okay, I think we're done here."

"Alright, let's get back on the bed." Sandy said sweetly, really seeing for the first time a real interaction between father and son as Sammy helped Dylan back into bed gently.

* * *

"Brando, so good to see your pretty face, where's Nikki?"

"She's flying in later with the kids." Brandon said. "I thought we could stay and visit Casa Walsh for a little while, Mom sure misses the kids and I know Nikki would love to have a full night's sleep for once "

"Oh yeah, how's the baby?" Donna asked.

"Getting big actually, I can't believe he's going to be six months next week." Brandon said taking out his phone and showing off the most recent picture of baby Jamie. Kelly felt a rush of excitement as she glanced down and touched her still flat tummy.

"Man, he's cute, looks just like Nikki though."

"Oh, wait are we getting into that? My kids are not that little anymore but…They are just as adorable" Janet took out her own phone, a picture of Maddie, Stevie and Caroline popped up on her phone.

Kelly smiled at her friends, it was so good to have almost the whole gang back together, smiling, laughing and getting into the discussion of just how cute or difficult their kids were. Kelly grabbed her own phone and a picture of Dylan and the kids appeared on her screen, it was one taken at Dylan's birthday the previous year at the Peach Pit, Dylan had his arms around both Hannah and Evan as Sammy stood behind him.

"So, have you heard from Andrea?" Brandon asked, pulling Kelly from her thoughts.

"Yeah, she said she might be able to fly soon to visit, told me she could use the sunlight."

"You know? I always thought you and Bren would compete on names for your kids, not you and Andrea." Brandon said trying to get her mind off everything for a moment.

Kelly sighed at the seemingly never ending discussion of her child's name. "We agreed to call her Gracie in the beginning but Dylan was the one who liked calling her Han and it stuck, remember?

"Oh, I remember." Brandon mused. "And Hannah goes by Rose now anyway so I guess it all worked out for the both of you."

"I guess, everything has worked out for everyone so far, hasn't it?"

"I guess it has." Brandon said as Kelly placed his hand on hers.

"So, have you seen Dylan yet?" Donna asked Brandon as she stood with them again.

"No, he was sleeping before we went to see Dr. Bean, but I'm on my way to take the test, I just wanted to see all of your pretty faces." Her friend said.

"As it should be, we should go anyway." Janet said to the group. "Maddie's got a date so there goes our babysitter. "

"Oh, new boyfriend, how's that going?"

"Why don't you ask Steve?" She mused to her husband and Donna turned to him. "Him and that boy seem to be best friends now, as weird as that might seem."

"Oh come on, he's a good kid, I wouldn't allow him to marry my daughter but he's a decent young man, better than I was at his age, that's for sure."

"God, I can't even imagine how David is going to be when the girls start dating…"

"Can you imagine Dylan?" Kelly could, and their child's terrified boyfriend but a sudden feeling of fear filled her and she went serious again.

If the transplant didn't work, then he wouldn't be there for any of it.

"Kel?" Donna touched her shoulder, pulling her out from her thoughts. "Are you okay honey?"

"I'm fine." She glanced at her phone as it buzzed again. "David and Erica are here."

* * *

In the years since she had reconnected with what was left of Dylan's family, the one unexpected surprise had been Erica who had reformed herself, having left her mother and mostly everyone of her past behind, had fallen in love with nature and was now a photographer based in Alaska but no matter how far she was, Dylan had seemed to always have her in his mind and would keep tabs on her.

"Kelly!" David called as she came down the stairs that led to the lobby. She had just left Brandon with Sandy.

The younger woman smiled as she just hugged Kelly and they exchanged words of hello. "And he's out of danger now?" She asked as they began walking.

"Yes, but he needs that transplant."

"Well, I'm his sister, there's no one better to be a match than me, right?" David glanced at Kelly."What?"

"We'll have to see." Kelly said as she led them back upstairs, in the short almost week that she'd been there, she was already learning her way around the hospital."Apparently it's trickier then it seems."

"Where are your kids? I'm dying to see them."

"Sammy's the only one here, where are you staying?"

"Here if I can, or are you spending the night?" Erica asked as they kept walking.

"No, actually, she's not." David said. "I'll be staying, I think it would be good for everyone to sleep in their own beds for a change."

"Right, David's staying, So you're more than welcome at the house with us, the kids will be so happy to see you."

"And I them." Erica mused, then turned serious "It's been too long Kelly and I'm sorry, but.."

"Life has gotten in the way? Yeah I get it." Kelly said wrapping an arm around her. "But you are here now."

* * *

"Are you okay Dad? Do you need anything?" Sammy said as Dylan tried to get somehow comfortable in bed for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"I'm good buddy, don't worry but I'll tell you what? If I ever complain of the Ranch's mattress, remind me of this moment?" Sammy laughed.

"I will." He said.

"How's the arm?" Dylan asked. Sam stared at his cast, signed by almost everyone he was close to in his life.

"It's fine." He said, changing his tone. "Hey Dad, I... I wanted to say I'm sorry for that day, the day of the accident. I shouldn't have given you a hard time on the whole babysitting thing..."

"No, you were right Sammy." Dylan said after a moment. "You said you wanted to prove yourself responsible and we just haven't given you the chance..."

"I just, I feel like I can do it, you know? Watch Hannah and Evan on my own. I want to be able to help you guys."

"And I get that son, I do trust me and I'm grateful but you know what? I think I'm just scared of letting you take on it because to me you are still that little kid who used to fall asleep in my arms and I don't think that feeling is going away anytime soon, but I'm learning the ropes of parenting a teenager still, so if you are up to it, Mom and I will try too."

"Okay, yeah I think I can do that." Sam said with a smile sitting back down on the chair and grabbing his phone. "Thanks Dad."

"No problem, and Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, don't you ever forget that, alright?"

Sammy smiled. "I love you too Dad."

* * *

They made it back to Dylan's room, Sammy was still there sitting on the chair beside the bed on his phone as Dylan was reading.

"Well, if it isn't the Mckay boys?" Erica mused. They both looked up at the same time.

"Hey you, I was wondering if you were actually going to show before I was on my deathbed.." Sammy and Kelly almost rolled their eyes at the same time.

"Dylan, please don't joke." His wife said, shooting him a look.

"Come on Kelly, this one is hard to beat right, he's too much of a tough guy for that to happen." Erica joked as she hugged him and Sammy.

"Even in old age." Dylan added. "How are you, how's Bobby?"

"He's good, busy with work, sorry he couldn't make it."

"Well, we'll be seeing him at the wedding soon, right?" Kelly said as she sat beside Dylan on the bed.

"Yeah, about that…"

"Oh, please don't tell me you two decided to put it off, again.." Kelly said.

"No but, as much as I love Alaska. I thought we could move it over here, I mean, this is were my family is and it's warmer."

Kelly and Dylan smiled looking at each other. "I'm sure Donna and I can help you out, we've managed to do it before."

"Good, thanks. So Sammy, where are the curls man?" He blushed slightly. "Oh, right, I forget you are in High School now…" Sam blushed at her words and just as on cue his phone buzzed.

"Ummm. Anyone want anything from the cafeteria?"

"No, honey thank you, but would you do me a favor and check on your brother and sister with Silver?"

Sammy nodded as he said his goodbyes to Erica and both his parents and closed the door behind him. "So, does he have a girlfriend or…"

"Not that we know of…"Kelly said with a sigh.

"Yet." Dylan added in as they all laughed.

There was a knock on the door as Brandon peeked his face inside, "Hey brother." He smiled at Dylan. "So, I'm guessing you are doing this so I visit more often?"

"You know it Walsh…"

Kelly rolled her eyes at both of them. Brandon smiled. "It's good to see you Dylan."

"You too man, you look good, better than me for that matter."

"I've always looked better than you, even if the girls liked to differ." He joked.

"So, uh, should we leave you kiddos to bond for a little?" Erica said. "Come on Kel you can buy me some coffee."

Brandon settled beside Dylan on the chair next to the bed. "So, what are you reading?" He asked, as Dylan stared at his iPad.

"Some revision I have to send in…" Dylan said almost annoyed. "Since when is writing such a business huh? I love it but it's like I don't get it anymore man."

"Yeah well, that's the new millennium for you, tough crowd, don't even get me started on ny job."

"Oh, yeah, you still jumping all around chasing stories?"

"Well, no, not so much anymore, truth is, Nikki has her own business now back at home and she's doing that and taking care of the kids, I just felt like she did it all and I did nothing you know?" Dylan nodded. "So, I try to chase the dream locally now, I don't really want to miss out on my kids growing up."

"I hear you man, Sammy is in high school and I keep trying to make sense of the moment that happened all I can tell you is that he turned into into such an amazing young man and I almost missed it." Brandon could listen to a lot of emotion in his friend's voice. "And to think I was afraid I was going to turn into my father and not be good enough for my kids." Dylan said. "I've been thinking about all those years I was afraid to have a normal life, I feel like that was an alternative universe or something now."

"I guess a brush with death can do that to you huh?"

"Yeah, it sure can, man."

The hospital was backlogged and they wouldn't get Brandon or Erica's results until the next day so Kelly decided she needed to make it home. Honestly, she missed it and her kids too much. She picked up her sleeping children from Donna's and with Erica in tow drove them all to the house which stood near the beach, she remembered going down there at night when the kids were younger and couldn't sleep to walk them and how they would fall sleep instantly.

She and Erica settled Hannah and Evan down as she greeted her dogs, Sam then offered to take them out for a walk and invited his aunt to come along.

"So, what's the deal with that Bella girl?" Erica asked as they walked away from the house and into the sidewalk. "Are you two dating?"

"No, she's my friend." Sam said with annoyance.

"But it might turn into something more?"

"No, I don't think I'd want to risk caring for her like that and then have it not work out." He admitted.

"Well, it did for your Mom and Dad." Erica said to him for which Sammy laughed.

"We can't all be Dylan and Kelly, aunt Erica…" The young woman sighed at the irony and the truth of his words.

"Fine, but you give it time and if you really like her, I think you should go for it."

"You sound like Silver." Sammy mused.

"Well, she's a smart lady, you should listen to her." Erica agreed. They walked in silence for a bit. "So, how are you, really? Other than the arm or the girl, I mean?" His aunt asked, Sam shrugged.

"Fine, I'll be better once I know Dad's going to be okay and he's out of the hospital." He admitted to her. Erica smiled as she wrapped an arm around him.

"He will be buddy…" Erica said to him sweetly. "You'll see."

"Yeah but if he hadn't woken up, I don't know what I would have done, if what i said to him happened to be the last I said to my own Dad..." Erica stared at him as he continued. "We were arguing about something stupid when it happened and then when he didn't wake up, I don't know, I guess I pictured the worst.."

"But he's right there for you two to talk about it, even if it was stupid, it came up for a reason.."

"Yeah we did and he said he'd talk to Mom about it."

"But?" Erica asked as Sammy kept walking, looking at the dogs ahead of him.

"It's just, sometimes, they, treat me like a little kid and I'm not, I mean I'm a freshman, I don't want to be Sammy for the rest of my life."

Erica sighed. "You want my two cents?" Sam nodded. "I remember when I found out I had a big brother for the first time and then meeting your Dad, he was already such a grown up Sammy, he didn't have a father or someone to care for him, not that I did either but he was already making something of his life and he was barely 18, my guess is that your parents want to let you have the little bit of childhood you have left and have you enjoy it, because, take it from another Mckay kid who had to grow up too fast? It doesn't come back."

When they returned to the house, Kelly was still in the kitchen. "I think I'm gonna go and get some sleep you guys, I'll see you in the morning?" Erica said as she smiled at both of them and climbed up the stairs.

"So, Dad told me you two had a little talk?"

"Yeah, are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad of you wanting to help out? In fact I'm proud of you, I'm sorry I keep seeing you like this little boy, Sammy, but I'm gonna try and do better okay?"

"I'll try and do better too." Sammy said as Kelly hugged him.

"Deal, you are a good one Sammy McKay, I hope you know that."

* * *

The next morning Kelly found herself making breakfast for the kids as it was just another day. "Hey, you are up early." She told Erica as she walked in and sat by the kitchen island.

"Oh, yeah, I'm not much of a sleeper." She said. "Any word?"

"No, not yet. I'm guessing we'll know when we get to the hospital." Kelly said to her as she handing her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks." Erica said as Kelly got some tea for herself, they drank in silence for a moment listening to the kids rustling upstairs. "Tea, huh?"

Kelly didn't respond. "Dylan told me about the baby."

"Well it's still a bit early, I haven't even told the kids about it."

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed, but congrats." She smiled.

"Thanks, it's something that actually keeps me going through all of this with some kind of sanity."

"Morning…" Sammy said as he came into the kitchen before Kelly could add something else.

"Good morning sweetie..."

"Hey so you'll text me as soon as you know anything?"

"Yeah and aunt Donna will be driving you guys to the hospital later okay?"

They drove the kids to school then and headed back to the hospital.

"So, she's not a match…" Kelly said to Dr. Bean as they all stood in Dylan's room.

"No, but Mr. Walsh is."

"Of course he is." Kelly laughed bitterly.

"Kel…" Dylan said, pulling her back gently on her spot on the bed. "Relax, alright? It's not good for you or the baby.."

"How can that be? I'm his sister." Erica added in staring at Dylan before Kelly could reply.

"You are his half sister, correct? That can be a factor for compatibility…" Dr. Bean explained. "But the good news is that we found you a match and if Mr. Walsh is up to it, we can have the transplant performed today."

_Today_

"I'd like to talk to Brandon as soon as he arrives. Again, this is good news." The doctor added pulling Kelly back to reality as his words kept echoing in her mind.

"Of course it is." Kelly said, looking back at Dylan. "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm trying to process this could actually happen as soon as today. Thank you Dr. Bean."

"That's what I'm here for." He said, shaking hands with Dylan as he got paged away with another patient. Erica then got a call from Bobby, leaving Kelly and Dylan alone in the room. "Do you think we deserve it?" Kelly asked.

"What?"

"That Brandon is the one who is a match out of all of us."

"Kel, you heard the doctor, that's good news, I mean we hoped someone would be and we called everyone we knew."

"Yes and believe me, I'm happy this will be over soon but, it still feels weird…"

"Come on, you said it yourself we are friends first…"

"Yeah, but It's Brandon, Dylan…"

"So?" Dylan said, his voice a bit hurt, Kelly turned around on the bed to look at him as he took his hands in hers."It was a long time ago Kel and if what happened should teach us anything, it's that we need to look forward to stuff, not back.." He glanced down at her tummy. "Right?"

"Right, but It's just, it's a little bit too much to ask and then there's all that history."

"It's a big decision to make for anyone and Brandon being a match, it just means that life has a wicked sense of humor, that's all." He touched her cheek slightly. "And for once, that is a good thing…"

"Fine, I'm sorry, I guess I'm just nervous."

"Me too." Dylan admitted after a moment as he felt Kelly's body against his on the bed, "But you know what? If I had to choose someone to save my life, my money would be on Brandon Walsh."

* * *

**Okay guys, here's the next one! Brandon is a match but will it be as easy as it seems? Stay tuned, we'll see a little of Silver and Dylan bonding soon too.**

**Don't forget to review :) **


	8. Chapter 8

**Terrified**

**AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018**

**Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry. **

**I own nothing**

Kelly woke up the morning of Dylan's surgery earlier than she hoped, her kids wouldn't be going to school so the house was too silent. She stayed there in bed alone, thinking of what would be ahead.

Her bed seemed too big witout Dylan or her kids there, if this would be any other day, she'd be grateful to have a moment to herself, but right now, the idea of sleeping in bed alone in the long haul was too daunting.

Her hand was placed protectively over her still flat belly and memories of her carrying her three other children filled her head.

Sammy had been the hard one, first pregnancy, plus dealing with her and Dylan's insecurities about parenthood, because, yes, she had accused him of not being able to commit because of fear, but the truth was, she too was terrified, not only by the prospect of motherhood, which she didn't know if she'd be any good at, her mother, Mel and her father had not been good role models.

And yet, even with dread she couldn't wait to meet the baby, a part of her and Dylan, finally, a part of him she wouldn't have to say goodbye to,

Gracie, er, Hannah had been a different story, she had been the one baby she was ready for, she and Dylan had already been married when she was born, Kelly smiled at the memory of Dylan and Sammy at Paradise Cove the night he had proposed to her.

* * *

_Donna had been dragging her around all day on errands until she had gotten a mysterious call, so Kelly followed her to the car, even though she was her best friend, her sister and she knew both her and David had been up to something for days, she hadn't been able to get anything out of them._

_Donna helped her out of the car as she was now blindfolded. "Okay, one more step." She instructed as Kelly prayed she wouldn't trip._

_"She's all yours." Donna spoke as Kelly was still in the dark, she felt Donna's hand leave hers and being replaced by a bigger one._

_"Of all the beaches of all the towns, she walks into mine." Her heart skipped a beat at his words, the memory of the first time he'd spoken them to her flooding her. "Well now Miss Kelly Taylor…"_

_"Dylan, what is going on?" Kelly asked nervously, her lips in a small smile as he held her, still in darkness._

_"Come here, let's take a few more steps." And so they did and then Kelly was freed from the blindfold and what she saw made her heart catch in her throat, Sammy stood there, in matching outfits with Dylan and it melted her heart._

_"Okay Sammy, either you're going to tell me what's going on or…"_

_Sammy looked over at Dylan with a bit of playfulness in his stare as his Dad smiled back._

_"You know how you say I remember the little things from when we were kids? Like pushing you on the swings or the half a cookie you gave me in kindergarten?" Dylan began, Kelly simply nodded. "Well, I finally figured out why I remember that so well out of everything else in my life. Because I think, that even back then, I was so in love with you, I made myself remember every little detail I could… in case I didn't get the chance to be with you." " He hesitated. "I know you and I don't have the greatest track record kel, but I mean, we've already done everything backwards, right? And I know I screwed it up big time by leaving… by not owning up just how important you and Sammy are to me. You guys will always be my family and I almost messed up again, but Kel, we're having another baby and it's like the world is trying to tell us something, so I think it's time we both own up to all the wrong things we did as kids and grow up." _

_He was now kneeling down, with Sammy beside him, then the little boy took a step towards Kelly and offered her his hand, she took it and walked a few steps so she was facing Dylan. "Come here Kel." She was now kneeling down beside him on the blanket that was laid out neatly beneath them._

_"Dylan…" She was crying, damn pregnancy hormones._

_"I'm sorry it took me this long to finally do this, but Kel, in this world, I've always said it, you are my soulmate and with Sammy here beside us, with the new baby coming, I want to ask you what has taken me a lifetime to man to up to do. Kelly Taylor, love of my life, mother of my children, will you marry me?"_

_Sammy looked over at his mother expectantly. "Took you long enough McKay."_

_"I'm guessing that's a yes?" He said nervously, a new one for him, she laughed and leaned to kiss him._

_"Yes, yes of course." Kelly began to cry, which made Sammy glance over again worriedly. "I love you." _

_"I love you too." _

_"Mommy, why are you crying?" Sammy asked worriedly._

_"Oh, sorry baby, don't worry. I'm crying because I'm happy."_

_"Cause it worked?"_

_"Yeah, it sure did bud." Dylan said ruffling his hair and pulling him close_.

* * *

"Will you stop fussing?" Nicki told Brandon as he was laid in bed, he was meant to be going into surgery that afternoon. "You are worse than the kids."

"I'm sorry, I mean I knew I'd do it, but going under the knife isn't something I'd like to relieve, remember my appendectomy?"

"This isn't the same and you know it, plus, you are doing this to help your friend, that counts for something."

"Yeah but if something goes wrong…"

"Why would you even think that?" Nicki scolded. "And don't you dare mentioning that to Kelly, she's stressed as it is." Brandon sighed. "Listen, I asked my Mom to bring the kids later, I'd thought you'd want to see them before the surgery."

"Yeah, sounds good, hey I'm sorry I guess I'm more nervous than I thought I'd be." Brandon admitted shyly.

"I am too, but if I think about it too hard, I'll go crazy, so no, we're not thinking about it, alright?"

"Fine." He mused. Just then there was a knock on the door. Kelly.

"Hey guys, Dr. Bean told me you were up here already." She said with a weak smile.

"Hey kel, how are you holding up?" Brandon asked. "How's Dylan doing?"

"He's okay, tired but he's glad to have the kids here, I think it helps with having his spirits up."

"Do you need help with anything?" Nicki offered.

"No, thank you, I just want this to be over already."

"It will be okay Kelly." Nicki shot her husband a look given his restlessness moments before.

"No, I know but… well I just wanted to thank you for doing this, really I don't think I'll ever be able to pay you back."

"Kelly you don't need to alright?" Brandon said as she stood beside Nicki next to his bed. "Dylan means a lot to me and so do you, that's why I'm doing this."

Kelly nodded. "So, umm Brenda called, she said she'd be getting in around four." Kelly said.

"Yeah, she called me too, my parents won't be able to drive up until later though so It'd be good to have her here."

"Yeah, it will." Kelly agreed.

Then, the nurse in charge of Brandon came in and asked her to leave the room so she could begin with the pre op care.

Kelly and Nicki remained by the door. "Are you really okay with the whole Brenda situation?" the blonde bit her lip. "I don't mean to be stirring old feelings or anything but I was there Kelly and that's a lot of water under the bridge."

"Yes well, the three of us have found ourselves drowning in that water more than once, but I mean, Brenda is happy with her life and I think so far Dylan and I are too, we all have moved on the best way possible and even though I know there will always be feelings between us, Dylan and I have been supportive of Brenda before and she has been of us, that has to count for something, right? More than what happened when we were in High School?"

David and Steve stared at Dylan wide eyed. "You want to do what?"

"I need you to get my lawyer…"

"Dylan, come on man, I knew it's surgery and it's a scary concept but...you're not going to die." David insisted.

"There are no guarantees man, you know there aren't and even though I've cheated death before for some reason, I have no reassurance that I'll make it. I just want to make sure Kelly and my kids are well taken care of."

"Dylan…" Steve echoed.

"Just in case guys, please." Dylan asked again. "You can't say nothing to Kelly."

"Don't think she'll notice?" David asked with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's why I sent her to Brandon."

"That's a sentence I thought I'd never get to hear." Steve mused. "Fine, I'll talk to Janet about keeping her distracted for a bit, but what about your kids? Silver can't keep them in the cafeteria forever."

"I already talked to Sammy about it, It will be fine." Dylan said. His friends stared at him again just as there was a knock on the door. David and Steve smiled at Silver and the kids as they went about their mission.

"What's up guys? Did you find something good?" Dylan asked the kids, Evan and Hannah began telling him about the pancakes they'd eaten as Sammy typed on his phone. "Hey you, listen, do you mind taking them up to see Uncle Brandon while I talk to Aunt Erin for a minute?" Dylan told Sammy who had just looked up from his phone.

"Sure, come on you guys." Sam said with a smile as Silver gave Dylan a weary glance.

"You are never not going to call me Erin, are you?" Silver said as she stood in front of the bed.

"Hey, that's your name and I happened to change your diapers, so no, I don't think so." He mused.

She nodded annoyed. "Did you know I figured out I was in love with your sister the first night we babysat you together?"

"No, I didn't know that." Erin said with a small smile.

"Yeah, she'd invited me over but we had to put you to bed and she asked me to watch for a minute and well, the rest is history."

"Well, I'll tell you something, you haven't made it easy for her."

"No, I haven't, that's true." Dylan said shyly. "Here, help me up?"

"Sure, old man." This made him smile. "Hey, you said you changed my diapers, do the math."

She helped him up and he wrapped his arms around her. "You okay?" She asked when he grunted in pain.

"Fine." He said. "I'll be fine." This time, he sounded more confident.

"I guess I never really thanked you for taking me in, again." Erin said after a moment after they took a few steps back and forth. "I don't think I would have made it without you."

"Hey, you are family, no matter what, lord knows if people hadn't helped me when I was in a bad place, I wouldn't be here to tell the tale." He said.

Silver smiled again. "You are going to be okay, you know?"

"I know." He said with a small smile, then he turned serious. "But just in case…"

"Dylan…" She said in a very Kelly Taylor kind of way.

"No, hear me out, just in case I don't make it out of this, promise me you'll take care of Kelly, of my kids."

"Of course I will, do you even have to ask?" Erin said as she helped him back to bed. "But now, you have to promise me something? Not to leave my sister again, specially after she's just found out you two are having another kid. Four is a big number to deal with alone."

"It is." Dylan agreed, they couldn't speak further because Erica and Kelly had come back into the room with the kids.

* * *

Brenda Walsh remembered the first time she'd moved to LA, she was sixteen and her parents had just dragged her and her brother far from anything they knew, and her experience in Beverly Hills had not been a walk in the park, even though she had made friends quickly, her life there hadn't turned out like she hoped.

So she had made a decision to leave it all behind, and it was the first time now in more than 10 years that she had stepped back inside the crowded airport with her eldest daughter, god bless her heart, her husband had stayed back home with her other kids.

But she had come back to the place that had meant so much to her but which had also broken her heart. "Mom?" Sarah asked. Her first baby was 10 now and she was far from a little girl, she was mature and always had her back.

"Come on honey, I asked an old friend to pick us up." She called to the small group behind her.

"Brenda Walsh, I thought I'd never see the day." A voice said as as they reached the gate.

"Nat, hey thanks for offering to pick us up, you're a godsend."

"Well, everyone's already in the hospital, so it was no problem." He said breaking the hug. "Young lady Sarah, I cannot believe my eyes, since when did you get so tall?" Sarah giggled as she and Brenda climbed into Nat's car.

"How are they doing? Brandon texted me."

"Well, doctors say they have good odds of it working and Dylan making a full recovery." Nat didn't miss Brenda's sigh. "They're going to appreciate you are here."

"Yes, well, I almost didn't make it, when Steve called me, I debated myself on whether I wanted to be here again." She admitted, Nat gave her a look.

"But you are."

"Yes well, I might have had a bad judgement moment. I don't even know if kelly would want me here."

"They called, didn't they?"

"Steve did, not Kelly."

"Well, I think she figured it would be a little awkward for you kids to ask for her to ask for such a favor."

"She asked Brandon."

"Yes, well, Brandon didn't date Dylan."

"Point taken." Brenda sighed, she was kind of grateful for LA traffic as they approached the hospital and her past.

* * *

Kelly Taylor was face to face with Brenda Walsh for the first time in years, Kelly had accompanied Dylan on a book tour about two years earlier and they had decided to pay her a visit.

Brenda stared at her, but then Kelly moved to hug her. "I'm glad you are here." Brenda hugged her back. "And so will Dylan."

"I'm glad to be back too." She smiled.

"Brandon is in the fourth floor. Room 405." She said. "Sarah honey."

"Hi aunt Kelly." The little girl smiled.

"No Scott?" Kelly asked, referring to her husband.

"No, he offered to stay with Lily and the baby."

"Oh, how's Scotty?" Kelly said referring to her new baby.

"He's good, adjusting, I think we all are." Brenda said. "And you, how are you holding up?"

"Well, you know? I'm hanging in there for my kids but, honestly? I'm scared and Dylan, he, he won't admit it but I know he is too, he even called the lawyer, which he thinks he's so good at hiding but he's not." Kelly laughed.

"He's just trying to protect you Kelly." Brenda said.

"Yes, well, that hasn't worked out well for him before has it?" Brenda's mind then jumped to them being 18 all over again.

"He's going to be okay Kelly."

"No, I know but it's just, it isn't just about me anymore, it's the kids and Sammy, he was in the car with him Brenda, if something happens I don't know how he will recover from it."

And she didn't know how but for the first time since the night of the accident, just like she had done with Donna, Kelly allowed herself to cry.

"Dad…" Sammy sat there with Dylan, hours before his surgery, he had explained to him what he had to do in case something would happen to him. "But…"

"Sammy, just promise me, it doesn't mean you have to be the man of the house or anything, that's not on you son but I need to know that you understand."

"I understand." Sam said, trying to choke down his emotions. Steve and David stood beside him.

"You are a good man Sammy McKay."

"I don't think I'm a man just yet, I'm sure, I'm going to need my father for that, so you better come back okay?" He didn't mean it to come like it did but then Dylan smiled.

"I'm going to do my best." Sammy nodded. There was yet another knock on the door. Kelly and to Dylan's surprise, Brenda stood by the door.

"Aunt Brenda…" Sammy smiled at the dark haired woman.

"I cannot believe what I'm seeing, look at you, all grown up!" She said with a smile as she wrapped him in a hug.

"It's good to see you aunt Brenda, we've missed you." Sammy said in all honesty.

"Oh, I've missed you guys too, I'm sorry I've been gone too long." Brenda said, she shot a look Dylan's way as David and Steve looked at each other. "Hopefully that will change soon."

"Hey Sammy? Let's go find Dr. Bean huh?" Sammy nodded and with another smile to his mother and Brenda followed both men out the room.

"Oh yeah and Sarah is out there with Donna, do you guys mind?" Brenda asked.

"No of course not, it's so good to see your pretty face." Steve smirked.

"It's good to be seen." She said.

Once they were gone, Dylan turned to both women. "Funny how life works... Anytime I see you two in a room together, I feel bad about what happened and yet I'm also really grateful you are still in my life for some reason." Dylan said. "It's good to see you Bren."

"It's good to see you too." She said smiling at him after she'd hugged him.

"I really thought you weren't going to make it." Dylan said. "After everything…"

"Dylan that was a long time ago, and just like you said, I'm grateful that for some reason after all that happened, we're all here together."

"The three musketeers? Even if it might be the last time?"

"Dylan, don't say that." Brenda said before kelly could. "Or I'll kill you myself for leaving Kelly alone with four kids to raise."

"How did you…" Kelly asked, she hadn't told her about the baby. "Brandon?"

"No, you are not drinking coffee and you keep munching on stuff so I just figured it out."

"Sorry I didn't tell you…"

"It's fine, really Kelly, you don't have to explain, I'm happy for you." She offered them both. "Anyway, how are you?"

"I'm fine, a little nervous but I figure that's normal…" He said with a shy laugh. "Have you seen Brandon?"

"No, not yet I was on my way, but I wanted to see you first."

"Thanks for being here Bren, really." He smiled,

"Of course." She said, then she turned to Kelly."I better go see Brandon, so I'll leave you two, I'll come back before they take you up if that's okay?"

"It's more than okay." Kelly replied with a smile. "I'm really glad you are here Brenda." They hugged each other and with one last glance at Dylan, she left the room. "We both are."

"Definitely." Dylan agreed.

Kelly then turned to her husband. "That wasn't terrible, was it?"

Dylan laughed. "No, it wasn't. Come here." He offered her a small space in the bed and she curled up beside him, he kissed her forehead. "How are the kids?"

"They are good, glad they have Erica and Silver fighting over them." Kelly said. "Can you believe we helped raised those two?"

"Hardly, but we've gotten better at it, haven't we?" Dylan said sweetly. "Our kids are pretty amazing."

"Yes they are." Kelly agreed, they remained silent for a moment. "Dylan?"

"Hmm…"

"Please tell me everything is going to be okay and you are going to be here to see them grow up."

"Kelly…"

"Please, I need to hear you say it."

"You know I can't guarantee that." She turned her face away from him. "But I'm not going down without a fight, that I can promise you."

Kelly felt tears stream down her face as he gently wiped them off with his finger. "Hey, Kel, look at me." She did and he just leaned to kiss her. "I love you." He placed a hand over her stomach. "And I love our family, everything will be okay."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Donna, David and the entire gang gathered outside Dylan's room as they rolled in Brandon and were asked to wait outside.

"Alright, we're going to be taking the two up in a minute but I thought you'd like to see each other for a moment. Kelly tells me you go way back." Dr. Bean added as after they had been explained the basics or surgery.

Dylan and Brandon looked at each other. Some things never changed. "We'll be back in a minute."

There was silence in the room.

"You ready for this brother?" Brandon asked.

"If you are?" Dylan replied, their beds were close enough so they could shake hands.

"Thanks again, for this."

"Don't mention it." Brandon replied with a small smile.

Soon enough the room was filled with loved ones and friends, kids and adults gathered around both beds. "So did you tell them you were a match too?" Brandon asked his sister.

"No, I don't think they needed to know." Brenda said turning to look at Dylan and Kelly with their kids. "I didn't think I'd ever forgive them back then, but even after Dylan left LA and we lived together in London, I always knew something else was missing in his life." She took a breath. "I guess it was Kelly."

Brandon took her hand.

"So it's not going to hurt?" Hannah asked from her spot at the edge of the bed, Evan was in Dylan's arms, clutching to his favorite stuffed animal.

"No, I'm going to be sleeping the entire time sweetheart." Dylan said. "I promise it won't."

"Okay, and then you'll come home?" She asked again.

"That's the plan Han." Kelly said, playing with her child's dirty blonde hair.

"Daddy, you keep Dash okay?" Evan said. "He'll take care of you."

"Dash, well now that's an amazing idea, isn't it? I feel so much better now." Dylan kissed his forehead. Dylan glanced at Kelly.

"He helps me when I'm scared so he'll help you too." Evan said. Kelly stared at her son and absent mindedly touched her belly.

"You are the sweetest, Evan, I'll ask the doctor about it okay?"

Evan nodded just as the medical team came in.

"Are we all ready?" Dr. Bean smoked at the group. "Kelly, Nicki you two can walk up to the ward with us."

Both women nodded as each of them said their goodbyes once more.

"Okay you guys, it's time to say goodbye to daddy."

"Sammy? l love you so much son." Dylan said as he hugged him, lingering just a bit.

"I love you too Dad."

"I love you daddy." Hannah said when her turn came.

"To the moon and back munchkin." He smiled at Hannah as she kissed his cheek.

"Come here you," He told Evan as he pulled him close to him again. "Be a good boy, I love you." He handed the boy to Erin with whom he shared a knowing look.

Erica said her goodbyes too as she took the little girl's hand as they began to wheel them away, Brenda kissed her brother and then moved to stand with Donna next to Dylan's bed. "You too are amazing, did you know that?" Donna said. "Love you both so much."

"Bren come here." Dylan said with a smile. "I really just want to, tell you how much I appreciate you being here and Kelly does too."

"So she says." Brenda said, Dylan gave her a look. "No, I know what you mean... and just so you know? Everything that happened between us, I don't regret a thing."

"Neither do I." She leaned to hug him and Dylan kissed her cheek. Then everyone watched Kelly walk behind the beds with Nicki and Dylan waved his hand again.

"Almost there everyone." Dr. Bean announced.

"You're going to do great, both of you." Nicki said not letting go of Brandon's hand. "I love you babe."

"I love you too." Brandon gave her a sweet smile as she squeezed his hand.

"You, thanks again for this." Kelly said taking his other hand.

"What are friends for huh?"

"Kel?" Dylan called over her to his own bed. "I love you, you know I do, right? Even if 99% of the time I tend to screw things over?" Kelly smiled taking his hand in hers.

"I'm going to hold you to that, Dylan McKay, so you come back to me, soulmates right?"

"Always." He kissed her hand, and then leaned to place a lingering one on his lips.

They broke apart as Kelly asked Dr. Bean about Evan's stuffed animal and she placed in on the gourney with him, taking one last chance to kiss him and she and Nicki watched the glass doors close behind them.

* * *

**Sorry for taking so long to update work has been crazy and so has life, I do hope this chapter with a bunch of Throwbacks makes up for it, specially with Silver and Dylan bonding and Brenda showing up at the last minute but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it because this is ultimately a Kelly and Dylan story, and I would like to believe, they are old enough to get past it and have their priorities settled, anyway thank you so much for all the support as always. **

**Don't forget to review :) **


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